Why did we partner with the UCLA Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Research Program?

UCLA Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Research Program is one of the top sarcoma centers and research academia programs in the world, lead by Dr. Noah Federman. A large population of the pediatric patients with cancer receiving care at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospitals in Los Angeles, specifically Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Westwood and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center & Orthopedic Hospital in Santa Monica, have sarcoma cancers and desire to be under the care of a sarcoma specialist.

Naturally this provides the medical team, who often happen to be researchers as well, the opportunity to have consistent patient care experience with a targeted population of patients with the same cancer. It’s no coincidence that when Ava was receiving treatment on the pediatric floor at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center Orthopedic hospital that every patient with cancer on the pediatric floor also had a type of sarcoma, mostly bone cancer.

Since our founder, 13-year-old Ava Decker, was under the care of Dr. Noah Federman, and UCLA surgical oncologist, Dr Alexander Christ, Glimmers Foundation has a unique relationship and personal experience within the two UCLA hospitals as well as the medical care, and now partnering with the research program.

Working with Dr. Noah Federman and the Pediatric Bone & Soft Tissue Sarcoma Research team at UCLA, we have outlined a vision for bold progress to invest in cutting edge research with the goal to discover less toxic and more effective treatments of pediatric osteosarcoma.