Kelsey Hastings Golitz Sarcoma Research Fund

In memory of our daughter (Kelsey Hastings Golitz), we've created this page to raise funds for sarcoma research at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, and we hope you’ll consider joining the cause and making a donation.

Each year, nearly 70,000 adolescents and young adults are diagnosed with cancer in United States. Sarcoma which is more prevalent in children (15%) as opposed to adults (1%) is one of the most aggressive cancers, starting in the bones or soft tissue and spreading quickly to the lungs if the tumor is not contained and reduced. Treatments include at least 8 months of chemotherapy, radiation and possible amputation.

Important breakthroughs in Sarcoma research and treatment have been developed at UC Davis. Researchers are working on innovative immunotherapy approaches to use natural killer immune cells in the body to target cancer stem cells, which can resist chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments and lead to cancer relapse months or years later.

UC Davis is a leader in co-clinical trials in dogs who develop sarcomas in much the same way people do, and they have conducted a first-in-dog clinical trial transferring activated natural killer cells back into dogs with sarcoma after radiation treatments. The goal is to speed the translation of novel immunotherapy trials from bench-to-bedside via innovative testing in companion animals.

None of the progress is possible without the support from people like you and me.