Mark Staehely Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Dr. john a. kalapurakal, from northwestern memorial hospital, is one of the recipients of make your Mark research grants. In partnership with the brain tumor Foundation at northwestern memorial hospital, make your Mark has provided the funding to start a new study of the relationship between nano-particles and radiation treatment. Preliminary studies have shown radiation to be more effective when these nano-particles has shown the effects of the radiation to be both more successful and longer lasting. This study can be viewed at httpjanusnorthwesterneduwololab along with other details from his ongoing neuroblastoma research and the work that is being done in conjunction with the lab of dr. gayle woloschak at feinberg school of medicine at northwestern university.

Make your Mark established the Mark Staehely family assistance program to help children battling Pediatric Cancer and their families in their greatest time of need. Make your Mark assists families with gas cards, food cards, etc... The Staehely family knew first hand how difficult day to day living expenses can be when your child is facing a life threatening illness. It is our wish that no family be faced with the choice between food on their table or gas for their car to drive their child for the medical care they need.

In december 2005 Mark's treasure chest program was established. A treasure chest was built and delivered to the children's memorial hospital (now lurie children's hospital) oncology and hematology department at the hospital. Mark's criteria was very simple, you had to be a child in the hospital. That was the only criteria needed to get a toy 365 days a year, anytime of the day or night. That was Mark's wish. The program was so successful that in november 2006, the treasure chest program was established at northwestern memorial hospital in the radiation oncology department so that children undergoing radiation therapy always had access to a toy. Mark's treasure chest program was also established at provena st. joseph medical center on the pediatrics floor in 2007.