Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation Celebration | Dr. Agulnik (second from left) accepted a generous donation from the Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation and friends. |
Brett Armin was diagnosed with sarcoma, a type of cancer that develops within the body’s connective tissue, at age 27. Although he eventually succumbed to the disease, it was his wish that a foundation be established to raise money for sarcoma research, to help discover more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for others. In 2008, the Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation was created in his memory. On Wednesday, January 13, a presentation and reception of philanthropic support from the Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation was held on the Northwestern medical campus. Members of the Foundation gathered with representatives from the sarcoma program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University to honor their tremendous partnership, and celebrate the Foundation’s most recent, generous gift to the Feinberg School of Medicine. The sarcoma program at the Lurie Cancer Center is nationally-recognized for its expertise in the area of bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The talented group of clinical investigators, surgeons, physician assistants, and basic scientists focuses on the study and delivery of novel therapies to treat this type of cancer. Mark Agulnik, MD, leads a team committed to furthering clinical and basic research, studying the role and use of molecular targeting agents for these tumors, and improving radiotherapy outcomes. In attendance at the small event were Dr. Agulnik, Therese Zumdahl, his physician assistant, as well as leadership from the Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation, and family and friends of Brett Armin himself. The gathering was celebratory as members from both organizations lauded each others’ efforts in the fields of fundraising and basic science research, while expressing their mutual desires to work even harder for the benefit of all sarcoma patients. The Brett Armin Sarcoma Foundation and other such devoted donors play vital roles in advancing the cutting-edge research conducted in Dr. Agulnik’s lab, bringing us ever-closer to understanding and curing this complex disease. By: Andrea Arntsen-Harris | 
