It鈥檚 more common in children, but when diagnosed in adults, it鈥檚 far more deadly. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a cancer of the soft tissue鈥攎uscle, fat, tissues, tendons, nerves, or even blood vessels. We often think of it as a pediatric cancer, but that鈥檚 not the whole story. Sometimes, it strikes later in life. Such was the case with T.J. Arcati, a father of two and late founder of the .
When he founded the organization, his main focus was getting well. Someday, he鈥檇 hoped to support research into rare forms of cancer like RMS. But his first priority was being there for his wife, Heidi, and their children, Hadley and Hunter. Tragically, T.J. Arcati lost his battle just four years after his diagnosis. He was 35. Since then, the Arcati family has joined with others in the sarcoma community to ensure that scientists studying RMS get the funding they need to continue their work.
Earlier this year, Hunter and Hadley Arcati proudly presented 黑料吃瓜资源 (CSHL) with a check for $50,000. Over the past decade, CSHL has led the search for new therapeutic strategies that may someday be deployed against RMS and other sarcomas. The call for action came at a . The Friends of T.J. Foundation was one of several local groups that funded the gathering.
CSHL recently spoke with the Foundation鈥檚 CEO, T.J.鈥檚 father, Tom Arcati, about his son鈥檚 legacy. 鈥淥ur hopes and dreams for finding better treatments and outcomes for sarcoma patients pale in comparison to a young person鈥檚 struggle when they are faced with an unimaginable situation only to hear about a lack of research,鈥� Arcati says.
That is why, over the past 10 years, the Friends of T.J. Foundation has donated more than $500,000 to support the work of CSHL Professor Christopher Vakoc. This funding has yielded several significant breakthroughs, including remarkable advances in RMS and Ewing sarcoma research.
鈥淭.J.鈥檚 love of life, family, and friends will have an everlasting impact on the community,鈥� Arcati says. 鈥淚n return, CSHL and all who knew T.J. are generously trying to solve the problem and find answers to the complex questions T.J. had. We will all continue where he left off.鈥�