‘Morgan Adams Foundation’ Category

Cancer is caused, generally, by genetic mutations starting in individual cells. A mutation changes how the body’s cells work, which can cause cells to multiply uncontrollably. Cancer typically requires multiple gene mutations. For the past several decades, scientists have been investigating the genetics of cancer and have identified many tumor-specific genetic markers. These tumor-specific markers…

Because of generous donor support, these eight clinical trials are helping kids with cancer right now: Newly diagnosed diffuse midline glioma Newly diagnosed or recurrent adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma Recurrent or progressive low- or high-grade glioma with BRAF mutation Relapsed posterior fossa ependymoma Infiltrative high- and low-grade glioma Recurrent ependymoma Group 3 and 4 medulloblastoma MYC-driven medulloblastoma…

What is artificial intelligence? Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that can simulate human intelligence characteristics including learning, predicting, analyzing, and deriving solutions using data. AI was first defined in 1956, but the use of the technology was limited through the early 2000s due to poor computer performance and other economic factors. In the 2010s,…

More than a dozen doctors and researchers from the Morgan Adams Foundation Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Program were invited to present their work at the largest global conference in pediatric neuro-oncology. The 20th International Symposium on Pediatric Neuro-Oncology was held June 13-15 in Hamburg, Germany. ISPNO is the major global meeting for the international community…

artma exists because there are kids with cancer who are fighting every day to survive. For each artma, Patricia Mowry, the Creative Arts Therapist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, coordinates an art project with kids in treatment in the Pediatric Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. This year, 20 kids, teens, and young adults participated by creating a…

May is recognized nationally as Brain Tumor Awareness Month (BTAM) each year. It is a time to raise awareness of the devastating impact of a brain tumor diagnosis, on the individual, family, and larger community. Brain cancer accounts for about 15% of pediatric cancers. Brain and CNS tumors are the second most common type of…

A Note of Encouragement from a Cancer Mom Written by Sarah Mersdorf-Foreman, Levi’s mom The other day, I took on the task of cleaning out the hallway medicine/medical supply closet (aka the family-owned pharmacy). This froze me.     This is the type of needle that was used weekly to access Levi’s port for his…

November 6, 2020 I received an urgent message this week about a family whose child was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and needs help with their bills: A young couple and their son Alexander moved to Colorado in July after Alexander’s grandma had a massive heart attack. The family used all their savings to…

Levi was two months into Kindergarten when he started throwing up 1 to 2 times a week. His pediatrician said Levi had the flu, but later that month, Levi’s left eye started to cross. Levi’s mom felt that the throwing up and eye-crossing were related and asked her friend, an optometrist, to take a look…

Morgan had a 5% chance of survival after being diagnosed with cancer when she was a junior in high school. An experimental treatment saved her life. Morgan was 15 years old when a mass the size of a softball was found low in her pelvic cavity. Here’s what Morgan has to say about her cancer…