Personal Fundraiser

Our Mission

Raise $500,000 to help push the frontiers of research in discovering cure for high-risk pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with NUP/NSD and related genetic mutations. 

[May 11, 2022] Update: Vienna is doing well and is being monitored periodically by the doctors at the Seattle Children's. We thank you for the generous donations and the continuous support of high-risk AML research at the Fred Hutch! 

In September 2020 we learned that our six-year-old daughter Vienna has an acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Since then, life has been a rollercoaster. Over the first month, we found out that Vienna’s AML belongs to a high-risk category determined by rare genetic mutations happening only in a small subgroup of pediatric AML patients. Vienna has gone through two cycles of chemotherapy treatment followed by a bone marrow transplant (BMT) at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the amazing group of oncology doctors and nurses and BMT specialists at the Seattle Children’s, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), and the University of Washington, Vienna is now in remission. Our journey is not over, and we hope for the best for our little girl as she comes out of the post-transplant recovery. The prayers and support of our neighbors, family, and friends scattered all over the US and the world keep us warm, hopeful, and strong. 

Bone marrow transplantation is often done for pediatric AML patients when the existing chemo- and radiation therapy do not cure the disease. This also means that possible cancer relapse after BMT may have devastating consequences. While tremendous progress has been made over the past few decades in curing AML, there remain various genetic mutations leading to high-risk leukemia for which no cure exists. Rare forms of cancer, such as pediatric AML with NUP98/NSD1 genetic mutations, get less attention and priority in developing cure. We want to contribute to help push this frontier and accelerate the discovery of cure.

Our mission is to team up with other parents whose child suffered or suffers from AML, increase public awareness, and raise funds with your help to direct toward supporting research in finding cure for pediatric AML caused by rare genetic mutations, such as NUP/NSD types. Please help us in our efforts by contributing and bringing this fundraiser to the attention of your friends and family, charitable foundations, and philanthropy groups.

All the funds will be directed to finding effective treatment and cure for pediatric AML caused by rare NUP/NSD type and closely related mutations which go in tandem with NUP/NSD. This research will be conducted in Dr. Soheil Meshinchi’s group at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, a renowned institution for cancer cure and bone marrow transplantation development. Fred Hutch works in close collaboration with Seattle Children’s Hospital, SCCA and the University of Washington. More information about Dr. Meshinchi’s group can be found here: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/faculty-lab-directory/meshinchi-soheil.html 

Please help us help Vienna and all other children suffering from high-risk AML. Your contribution will accelerate the development of cure!

Thank you and God bless you all,

Jacquelyn, Vahan, Vienna, Alexander