Cincinnati Children’s Announces Gift from The Cure Starts Now Foundation

Brain Tumor Center to be named after foundation that helps fight pediatric brain cancers

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and The Cure Starts Now Foundation have been working together for more than 12 years to find ways to cure pediatric cancers. To recognize the collaboration, Cincinnati Children’s is announcing the naming of The Cure Starts Now Foundation Brain Tumor Center as part of a multimillion-dollar donation to fund pediatric brain cancer research.

“This generous gift allows us to move our mission forward, which is to attack these terrible diseases from the bench to the bedside,” said John Perentesis, MD, director of the Division of Oncology at Cincinnati Children’s. “We are extremely grateful to Brooke and Keith Desserich and everyone at The Cure Starts Now for their tireless support.”

Brooke and Keith Desserich co-founded The Cure Starts Now Foundation in 2007 after the passing of their daughter, Elena, from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

“Elena’s legacy lives on, and now it’s about helping all children with pediatric cancer,” said Brooke Desserich, Elena’s mom. “It is a promise to support breakthrough strategies that will fundamentally change how we fight all cancers. We call this a ‘homerun cure’ and are proud to help partner with Cincinnati Children’s.”

The Cure Starts Now Foundation has generously funded millions of dollars in brain tumor research at Cincinnati Children’s since 2008. The naming of the center not only recognizes the current partnership but also a collaboration for future innovative research.

“Cincinnati Children’s has been a leader in revolutionary strategies for children fighting cancer from the beginning,” said Desserich.

“This is about creating a new and different way to attack DIPG and other rare, lethal cancers,” Dr. Perentesis said. “By working together, we can move this important work forward and one day lead us toward a cure.”