Dear Family & Friends,
Welcome to my 2017 Pine Tree Apple Tennis Classic (PTATC) personal fundraising page!
I'm proud to be playing in my 25th PTATC tournament! My partner (Larissa Mavros) and I are hoping to defend our Masters Division mixed-doubles title from last year. I also continue to volunteer on the Advisory Committee to help guide the overall success of the event and research efforts.
Overall, this is the 32nd Pine Tree event with over $5 million raised to improve the lives of children with cancer not just at Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota, but throughout the world.
Key research efforts that the PTATC helps fund includes:
- Two international rare tumor registries that have directly led to an increase in the survival rate for children diagnosed with these tumors. These registeries are now considered the model for other rare tumor registries.
- Research focused on methodologies and treatment advancements to help improve the physical and mental capacity of children who have gone through cancer treatment. This work has dramatically improved quality of life for children with leukemia, kidney tumors, brain tumors and other childhood cancers.
- Publication of multiple peer manuscripts as well as national and international conferences. This allows oncologists to share research results with physicians, patients and families throughout the world.
These are just a few of the research areas that Pine Tree supports. The impact of what started as a small grass-roots event back in 1986 has been amazing; however, our work is not done. Please join our fight for a cure by sponsoring me in this year's event. Any amount you can contribute is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your support!
Kevin