Fight for E supports promising cancer treatments and clinical trials through community fundraising efforts in honor of Ethan Fisher
by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
A Northern Colorado community’s determination to fight childhood cancer is helping advance research at Colorado State University, where a $100,000 donation will support the development of new treatments for an aggressive form of bone cancer.
Loveland-based Fight for E, representing the Ethan Fisher Osteosarcoma Research Fund, recently presented the donation to Dr. Dan Regan and his research team at CSU’s Flint Animal Cancer Center.
The funding will support two research efforts focused on osteosarcoma, a cancer that primarily affects children, adolescents, and young adults. Both projects explore potential treatments that could improve outcomes for patients facing the disease.
Community fundraising events, including Honk-E Tonk and the Bird-Es Golf Tournament, along with support from local sponsors, volunteers, and donors, made this contribution possible.
Research Connecting Animal and Human Cancer Treatments
One funded project focuses on identifying new drugs that can destroy osteosarcoma cells, particularly when the cancer spreads to the lungs.
Researchers are studying naturally occurring osteosarcoma in dogs, which shares important biological characteristics with the disease in humans. The work could help scientists identify treatments that could apply to both canine patients and children diagnosed with the cancer.
The project, titled Discovery of Small Molecule Antitumor Agents with Selectivity Against Canine Lung Metastatic Osteosarcoma, focuses on discovering and refining compounds that selectively target cancer cells.
A second research initiative involves a Phase I clinical trial with human osteosarcoma patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado and clinical sites in Los Angeles and Atlanta.
Patients in the trial receive a combination of immunotherapy drugs developed at CSU’s Flint Animal Cancer Center.
Regan’s team will examine blood samples collected during the trial to better understand how patients’ immune systems respond to treatment. Researchers also hope to identify biological indicators that could help determine which patients are most likely to benefit.
Although both efforts remain in the research and clinical testing stages, they represent potential pathways toward more effective treatment options.
Community Donations Fill Critical Research Funding Gaps
Regan said contributions from organizations such as Fight for E provide essential support for research that may not yet qualify for traditional funding.
“Most importantly, these types of grassroots fundraising efforts from foundations fill key gaps that are typically not easily covered by federal funding,” Regan said.
Early-stage scientific discoveries often require additional laboratory work before researchers can secure larger grants. Even projects that advance into clinical trials may encounter funding shortages.
Community contributions can help researchers continue their work during these critical periods, supporting the transition from promising discoveries to potential medical treatments.
Honoring Ethan Fisher Through Community Action
Fight for E was established to honor Ethan Fisher while supporting children and families affected by osteosarcoma.
The organization combines fundraising for medical research with a commitment to providing social, emotional, and financial assistance to families navigating childhood cancer.
“This donation is about so much more than the money raised. It’s about giving hope to families facing an unimaginable diagnosis and making sure the researchers working toward better treatments have the resources they need to keep going,” a Fight for E representative said.
“Every sponsor, every golfer, every event attendee, every volunteer, and every donation helped make this possible. This is what happens when a community comes together for something bigger than itself.”
Through its annual fundraising events, Fight for E has created an opportunity for Northern Colorado residents and businesses to contribute directly to research with potential benefits extending well beyond the region.
The organization’s latest $100,000 contribution strengthens that connection between local generosity and medical research, helping scientists pursue treatments that could one day offer families more options following an osteosarcoma diagnosis.
Residents interested in learning more about Fight for E, its fundraising events, or opportunities to support its mission can visit fightfore.org.
This article is based on information provided by Fight for E and the Ethan Fisher Osteosarcoma Research Fund.