Debra Sypek and Sandra Kosko from Soupy for Loopy Foundation, present a check for $25,000 to Dr. Lisa Diller and Dr. Julia Glade-Bender. (Photo by Sam Ogden and courtesy of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute).

On Friday, Aug. 1, 2008 the Soupy for Loopy Foundation made an important grant to support research into neuroblastoma, a complex tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. Debra Sypek and Sandra Kosko from the foundation, presented a check for $25,000 to doctors representing New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy (NANT).

Dr. Lisa Diller of Dana-Farber and Dr. Julia Glade-Bender of Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian accepted the check on behalf of NANT, a consortium of 14 major pediatric institutions across the United States that test new therapies which hold promise for improving long-term survival for children with neuroblastoma. Very little is known about why neuroblastoma occurs or what factors increase risk for occurrence.

NANT was formed to link a group of closely collaborating clinical investigators to laboratory research programs that are focused on developing and testing novel therapies for high-risk neuroblastoma. Those therapies that show promise in NANT trials will be proposed to the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) for more extensive testing.

The trial supported by the Soupy for Loopy Foundation will use bevacizumab (Avastin^TM) and zoledronic acid (Zometa^®) with low doses of the chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (cytoxan). Referred to as N0702, this combination of new and standard agents will likely have anti-angiogenic activity, stopping the growth of tumor blood vessels, especially in metastatic bone sites. Although bevacizumab is proven to be an active agent in many adult tumors and zoledronic acid has been shown to prevent adult cancer related bone events, the challenge for pediatricians is trying to determine how and when to use these agents in children with diseases like neuroblastoma. These funds, which were raised through general donations and various fundraising events, will be instrumental in helping NANT get the N0702 study open at the institutions faster, so that it is available sooner. For children with neuroblastoma, we know firsthand that time is truly an important element in giving hope to families when there is nothing left to try.

Learn more about NANT member institutions>>

2006

Proceeds totaling $3846 from the 2006 Soupy for Loopy fundraising event were donated to Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF)