The Brazilian invests R$ 14.6 million in the search for a cure for his son and for children with cancer

The father decided to fund scientific research after discovering malignant brain cancer in his son

Gaucho businessman Fernando Goldsztein invested $3 millionapproximately BRL 14.6 million at current quotations, to help promote research into a type of cancer after her son was diagnosed with cancer.

In 2015, his son, who was 9 years old at the time, was diagnosed medulloblastoma, a malignant brain cancer, most common in childhood. The family went abroad for treatment of the disease.

“About eight years ago my son Frederico was diagnosed with medulloblastoma and faced the toughest battle of my life. As a parent, I did everything in my power to make sure he received the best care possible. During this time I have lived with many other families who are going through the same problem. I discovered, over time, that children with brain tumors were ignored by society. And I’m not just referring to Brazil. The problem is worldwide,” he says.

The son was cured of cancer, but in 2019 the disease returned to haunt the family. The chance of this type of cancer coming back is 35%. The parents later discovered that there was little research on this topic. “Because it is a rare disease compared to other cancers, such as breast, lung or prostate cancer, there has been almost no investment in pediatric brain tumor research in recent decades,” he says.

Your child’s disease has no cure, and 30 percent of children with medulloblastoma do not survive. “There are about 30,000 children, a third of whom die. Two-thirds of the recovered are affected by hangovers for the rest of their lives due to the very high toxicity of the treatment ”, he adds.

investment in research

It was then that Fernando Goldsztein took the initiative to take money out of his own pocket to invest in research that could save not only his son’s life, but also that of other children in the same situation.

Thus, in 2021, the entrepreneur founded The Medulloblastoma Initiative (MBI), a global organization that promotes the search for new treatments for this disease in children.

“Our intention is to change this sad situation. Fighting cancer in children has become my life project. We will not stop until we find a cure for this terrible disease. Children shouldn’t have cancer,” she declares.

The institution, which is backed 100% by philanthropy, wants two new treatments to be tested on children in the next six to eight months. “There are 25,000 to 30,000 medulloblastoma diagnoses worldwide each year. The intention is to benefit all of these patients in the future.”

In two years, the entity has received more than $8 million in donations. By the end of this year, the organization wants to reach its goal of $15 million, the amount needed for the development of clinical trials on patients.

With 13 research institutions involved in the United States, Canada and Europe, the businessman’s plan is to expand the partnership in his home country. “There is also the intention to bring clinical trials to Brazil as well, which will depend on logistical and regulatory issues,” he says. “We have not yet established any partnerships. We are in talks with some institutions ”, he reveals.

Discovery

“In the first year of activity, the group participated in a fundamental discovery: the identification of the probable developmental mechanism of the cell that gives rise to medulloblastoma,” says Fernando Goldsztein.

The scientific article reporting the discovery, with acknowledgment of support from the Medulloblastoma Initiative, was published in September 2022 in the journal natureone of the most important scientific publications in the world.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.