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| Together we are making a difference! After the shell-shock of Brent’s diagnosis wore off, the McCreeshes gathered all those in their community who had been helping them out during Brent’s treatment and formed TeamBrent to fight childhood cancer. Family and friends have joined together and fought by shaving their heads for St. Baldrick's, riding their bikes for the PanMass, walking for Relay for Life; donating t-shirts, food, and time; driving vehicles 500 miles to roadie for our PMC team; painting faces; hosting bake sales, cocktail parties and Trunk Shows; creating ads; taking photos; running marathons and cutting their hair for Locks of Love in Brent’s honor, selling bracelets, and TELLING EVERYONE WHY. We ARE making a difference.
WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? To date, TeamBrent has raised more than $2.1 million. We partnered with Dr.Lisa Diller to open a targeted MIBG/radiotherapy program at DFCI. Thanks in large part to TeamBrent's efforts, the Dana Farber/Boston Children's Hospital broke ground in 9/07 on a dedicated lead lined treatment room and will begin treating children in the spring of 2008. This therapy delivers radioactivity directly to the neuroblastoma cells. While this will begin as treatment for relapsed neuroblastoma, there are applications being studied to include it as part of the upfront treatment, to both increase effectiveness and reduce long term side effects for the patients. This is huge, this is real, and this is wonderful. This room is being built, thanks to our PMC monies, a grant from St. Baldrick's and dedicated events (Venture Studios cocktail party, Charlie & Grace trunk shows, the Princess Ball). The St.Baldrick’s Foundation also has given dedicated grants to Yale's Pediatric Oncology department, six fellowships for neuroblastoma research, and so much more! ASIDE FROM MONEY, HOW ELSE ARE WE HELPING? TeamBrent has spread awareness three years in a row through a local ad in the Fairfield County editions of Time, Newsweek, USNews & World Report and Sports Illustrated, thanking our generous St. Baldrick’s sponsors (60,000 impacts each year). TeamBrent has spread awareness through a national neuroblastoma ad. We partnered with the heads of CureSearch to create a site to support it. The PSA ran in millions of copies in 2007 and is running in 2008 - check subscriber copies of InStyle, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Town and Country, Business Week, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Money, Fortune Small Business and Inc. TeamBrent has helped others via much needed blood and platelet donations. The impact of this cannot be overstated. During Brent's treatment he received blood and platelet transfusions nearly every other day. He was one child going through treatment. The amount of blood and platelets needed for childhood cancer patients is astronomical and this is something we can all do to help. TeamBrent has many members who may actually SAVE A LIFE, as they have registered to be bone marrow donors. Friends of the Sacred Heart University Hockey team ran a drive to collect new toys to be used as gifts for Brent’s very own Dr. Joe McNamara’s toy closet. Many local businesses donated silent auction items in Brent’s honor for the Make a Wish gala. This is a great way for a business to make a tax deductible contribution for an organization that brings joy during rough times. ------- TeamBrent Recognition TeamBrent has received numerous honors from organizations for their efforts to fund research for pediatric cancer. It truly is a group effort and none of it would be possible without the generosity of TeamBrent members.
Award
for Alumni Achievement 2008: Hofstra University 2007 Kochan
Award 2007 Best
Life Hero Dad Award 2007
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