AACR Volunteers and Ambassadors

DIY Fundraising for a Rare Cancer

It has often been said that receiving an award from the American Association for Cancer Research® (AACR) means more than the dollar value of the grant. Often, grantees are able to leverage AACR awards to receive additional funding from other sources. In some instances, they get to hear directly from patients and families impacted by their work.

In 2023, Madelyn Espinosa-Cotton, PhD, a research scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, was awarded an AACR Fellowship to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cancer Research to continue her work investigating desmoplastic small round cell tumors (DSRCT). Having lost a childhood friend to the disease, Dr. Espinosa-Cotton says her research into this incredibly rare, extremely aggressive type of cancer has deeply personal roots. The AACR interviewed Dr. Espinosa-Cotton and posted about her award and research on its website at AACR.org/DSRCT. 

The rarity of DSRCT and a personal connection also led Joe Fornasiero to the AACR. 

At 32 years old, Fornasiero was in excellent health. He was committed to daily exercise, balanced nutrition, and physical well-being. When he began experiencing abdominal pain and fatigue, his initial thought was appendicitis. The reality was far more serious. After several diagnostic tests, he was diagnosed with DSRCT.   

Over the next two years, Fornasiero traveled from Texas to New York City and back home to Michigan for an aggressive and exhausting treatment protocol. In all, he endured 20 chemotherapy cycles, two abdominal surgeries, 20 whole-abdominal radiation sessions, and an additional neck surgery to remove lymph nodes. 

“Despite the severity of my diagnosis and the aggressive nature of the treatment, cancer has given me a new perspective on life—one that I am surprisingly grateful for,” said Fornasiero. “I’ve learned that life is not just about physical strength, but about mental resilience, the power of perspective, and the depth of human connection.” 

Fornasiero leaned into the strength of those connections, leveraging his network of friends and family to support DSRCT research through an AACR Do It Yourself (DIY) fundraising page. With a goal of demonstrating that one person, along with a supportive community, can make a significant difference, he raised more than $30,000 for DSRCT research. After seeing the messages of love, hope, and support for Fornasiero coming in along with generous donations, the AACR is grateful to be part of his DSRCT journey.