The Sarcoma Stomp

Dear Friends and Family!

I am so excited about our 2024 Sarcoma Stomp! This year we recognize how all of your voices have helped make hope even more accessible for those dealing with sarcoma around the world. And so, our theme for 2024 is "We Are The Voices of Hope!"

Here are the facts. Sarcoma is a rare cancer of the bone and connective tissues, and can literally appear anywhere in the body. About 16,000 children and adults annually in the US are diagnosed with sarcoma. Globally it receives an extremely small amount of funding to research cures for the over 100 expressions of the disease. Warning signs are not universal. Causes are still a mystery in most cases. And the overall 5-year survival rate is only about 50%. Tragically, that statistic has not changed in over 4 decades but we ARE pushing the needle of hope higher with our measurable impact!

Personal Story. The Sharkoma Squad team is a group formed around ME, synovial sarcoma survivor Kerry Lindauer. I noticed a painful area in my left leg in 2012. It took lots of exercises, doctors visits, and tests to discover it was Synovial Sarcoma in March 2022. The sarcoma was immediately removed via two surgeries, and now my left leg looks like I had a shark bite into muscle and tissue. I am a lifelong swimmer. The Sharkoma Squad is a play on words to support others affected by the disease and take a bite out of sarcoma by funding research. Synovial Sarcoma is extremely rare, occurring in only 1 to 3 people per million. About 800 new cases of synovial sarcoma are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. 

Please. I am asking you to use your voices to make hope even louder. Funds raised by the The Paula Takacs Foundation go directly to funding local research at Levine Cancer Institute and Levine Children’s. Since its formation in 2010, the Paula Takacs Foundation has already raised just short of $4 million to fund clinical trials, biomarker studies and other projects to help researchers develop new, novel treatments for sarcomas. Levine Cancer Institute and Levine Children's Hospital stand as a leaders to provide care and hope to sarcoma patients. 

The Sarcoma Stomp is the primary annual fundraiser for the Paula Takacs Foundation for Sarcoma Research. It’s a family event. Get your friends, family, kiddos, neighbors to come on out and participate, raising funds for sarcoma awareness, treatments, research, and cures.

OUR SHARKOMA SQUAD IS FUNDING RESEARCH TO TAKE THE BITE OUT OF SARCOMA!

Thank you for your support! Fins Up!