Personal Fundraiser

I recently accepted the challenge to climb with Fred Hutch’s Climb to Fight Cancer, and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, in February 2023. Please join me as I raise funds for lifesaving research at Fred Hutch, which will accelerate the quest for cures and go a long way in fighting this disease and providing funds to life altering research.

I am sure each of us has had an "encounter" with cancer, in one shape or form with either a family member, a close friend, or a colleague. Not only does it leave a scar from all the medical treatments one undergoes, but for some it leaves a profound impact on how they view life, and potential financial hardships. The work that is being done at centers like Fred Hutch, is important to ensure that we give our loved ones and friends a fighting chance at an extended life.   

Personally, I have had close friends and family members who have had first hand experience with this disease, and it is with treatments such as what Fred Hutch is able to provide, have been able to fight it and come out stronger.

A friend and a mentor, I have now known for 23-years, was diagnosed with facial cancer when he was a teenager in high school. His chance of survival, was <5% based on statistics.  He had undergone facial surgery, removing a large chunk of his face, a hole in his pallet, and a scar to show on his face. This would not have been possible without the ground breaking research at the time . He is over 60 years old today, and has a great zest for life with his wife and grown children.

A friend and classmate, who i have known for over a decade, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Mantel Cell Lymphoma, when he was barely 30 years old, with a 10 years survival rate he sought out all the experts in the US, and underwent experimental therapy and is a survivor, and was treated at Fred Hutch. It has been almost 10-years, he is now married, and lives a healthy lifestyle in the Northwest. 

There are many other such stories, that I am each each of us have, including family members, who have gone through the ordeal, and are living a life of quality due to the improvements made in cancer research. 

In order to help the cause and raise money to fight such a devastating disease I have signed up as a personal challenge to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. This is the largest peak in Africa, standing at ~19,000 ft, and a hike lasting 7-9 days over a span of ~30 miles. I will take you on the journey with me, posting training and journey pictures (can't promise I can do that on the trek), and once on the top a shoutout to all the folks that have helped me get there. 

I will be accompanied by ~30 other biotech executives, who much like me are committed to raising money towards the effort. As a part of the team my goal is to raise a minimum of $50k to support this noble cause. Towards that end, my family and I are committing $7,500 towards the raise. 

Please join me and donate today. Any amount you can give makes a difference to people and families facing deadly diseases. Your gift is 100% tax deductible and will fund extraordinary research, lifesaving discoveries, and cures. 

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

The Aiyar Family

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Fred Hutch has made some of the world’s most important medical advances - from developing bone marrow transplantation as a cure for leukemia, to pioneering powerful therapies that harness the immune system to fight cancer, to leading national and international initiatives that enable earlier cancer diagnoses and more effective treatments. This leading-edge research depends on private contributions that fuel novel studies, which have the power to make a profound difference.

Did you know?

• Fred Hutch has been at the leading edge of cancer research for 45 years - starting with bone marrow transplantation, which can cure some cancers and has helped more than 1 million people. It was pioneered by Dr. E. Donnall Thomas at Fred Hutch. Today, Hutch researchers continue that legacy through groundbreaking work to expand immunotherapy.
• Fred Hutch is a leader in infectious disease research, including breakthrough findings on the herpesvirus and on the pathogens and viruses that cause an estimated 1 in 5 cancers. It is also the home of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.
• Fred Hutch’s work is centered on the people we serve. This includes research to understand cancer’s toll on individuals and communities; improve health equity, especially among black people and people of color; improve prevention; and treat the entire person, not just the disease.
• Fred Hutch researchers and staff are guided by integrity, scientific excellence, and collaboration - a dedication that has earned them the Gold Seal of Transparency on GuideStar, a service that evaluates more than 2 million U.S. nonprofits.