ALSF Fund: Closer to the Cure Fund

Cooper Ripley Martin

A Medulloblastoma Research Fund

On December 9, 2016, when Cooper was six years old, he was diagnosed with a malignant, fast growing brain tumor called a Medulloblastoma.  His diagnosis came after two weeks of intermittent unexplained nausea and one reference to blurred vision.  We were lucky.  We owe quick identification of his tumor to a combination of informed parental instinct, an astute ophthalmologist friend, and the clinical team at Boston Children’s and ultimately Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  

Over 14 months of treatment, Cooper and our family have experienced sweeping emotions, the warmth of both our closest friends and those we have never met, and an incredible fabric of clinical, rehabilitation, and social experts across a wide range of disciplines.  

Over those 14 months, Cooper underwent a 12-hour surgery to fully remove his tumor, 30 rounds of proton-beam therapy (most of which were sedated), three-months straight at Children’s and Spaulding recovering from the surgery and Posterior Fossa Syndrome (which left him mute and mosty paralyzed for two months), several day-surgeries to place a port & feeding tube, over a dozen subsequent hospitalizations for nine cycles of chemo with subsequent transfusions or infections, and weeks on end out of school. 

Cooper’s treatment finished in February, 2018, and we are thrilled at how well he has made it through his treatment.  He is back to running around like a seven-year-old, joking with his sister, and as inquisitive as ever.  Cooper (and his wonderful sister Grace, and mom & dad) will now begin to try to claw back to some kind of normalcy while undergoing periodic scans and proactively managing possible late effects.  

Medulloblastoma is the most common type of childhood brain cancers.  It is fast growing, but if caught in time, with aggressive treatment can be treated.  We are using this fund to channel our efforts to give back and advance the community we have benefitted from over this incredibly difficult time. Cooper’s complex treatment protocols are representative of the areas the Closer to the Cure Fund will focus on for fundraising;  Early Identification, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Radiation Therapy Planning & Treatment, Precision diagnosis, Hematology & Oncology Therapy Protocols, Rehabilition and Nutrition, Family Mentoring and Support and Integrative Oncology.  

We are enormously thankful to our friends & family who have come together to support us through these complex and trying times.  We thank you all for your desire to help us to combat this terrible disease and the impact it has on families and communities.

Amount Raised:

$142,705

Fundraisers with recent donations

Event NameCampaignLocationAmount
Shrine Knights Cancer Awareness Football Game Stands and EventsRoyal Oak, MI$100
Walking in Memory of MattThe Million Mile 2024Townsend , MA$1,882
Sunshine State Alumni 2024The Million Mile 2024Daytona Beach, FL$544
Samantha AudiaThe Million Mile 2024Bridgeport, WV$120
Penn Color's Lemonade StandStands and EventsHatfield, PA$3,334
Find An Answer to Cure CancerEnd Childhood Cancer Walk / RunPhiladelphia, PA$315
Adrianna’s Fighting Team! The Million Mile 2024Loudon, NH$57
Angel of hopeThe Million Mile 2024Brooklyn , NY$57
Awesome Cat People The Million Mile 2024Muskegon hts , MI$57
Fluffy Pandas The Million Mile 2024South Lebanon, OH$57
Gabrielle’s trainThe Million Mile 2024San Antonio , TX$67
Garcia's foundation The Million Mile 2024Bronx, NY$57
Givin’ For God-A Million Miles For A CureThe Million Mile 2024Griffin, GA$62
Godwin GirlzThe Million Mile 2024Atmore, AL$57
GordonThe Million Mile 2024maple shade, NJ$57
HersisterThe Million Mile 2024MO$57
JacksThe Million Mile 2024Ypsilanti, MI$57
Jae’s TeamThe Million Mile 2024Caledonia, OH$57
Jasmine GThe Million Mile 2024Aurora, CO$57
Kailyn’s teamThe Million Mile 2024York , PA$57
Lemonade XThe Million Mile 2024Capitol heights , MD$57
Lilly ZThe Million Mile 2024Louisburg, NC$57
McVLFGThe Million Mile 2024Williamsport , PA$122
mea basham million miles!The Million Mile 2024owensboro, KY$57
Melissa’s A-TeamThe Million Mile 2024Scottsdale , AZ$57
Mollys miracleThe Million Mile 2024Ridley park , PA$57
Nero’s can flyThe Million Mile 2024Lihue, HI$57
NFL football The Million Mile 2024BAILEYS HBR, WI$57
Rainbow day camp 2024The Million Mile 2024Cedarburg, WI$57
Sandy's Awesome Team The Million Mile 2024Raleigh , NC$57
thailyn EdwardsThe Million Mile 2024Katy, TX$57
Time 2 MoveThe Million Mile 2024Clarkston, MI$57
Valley Forge AngelThe Million Mile 2024Conshohocken , PA$82
Walk for Life with TierraThe Million Mile 2024Newport News , VA$57
Will & Allegra’s Lemonade StandStands and EventsGlencoe, IL$150
The Magic of GivingVirtual FundraisersMedford, NJ$3,331
Discovery Isle’s Lemonade StandStands and EventsSan Diego, CA$250
Maleah's Lemony NAMonadeLemonade DaysNewark, DE$200
Center Valley Coatesville Store 18 ALDICoatesville, PA$164
Naperville-Wheaton Rd. AldiALDINaperville, IL$1,031
Active Day Alex’s Lemonade StandLemonade DaysSewell, NJ$485
Colleges Against Cancer Lemonade StandLemonade DaysSummerdale, PA$90
Christopher & Alexander's Annual Lemonade StandLemonade DaysYoungstown, NY$455
Wellington lemonade standLemonade DaysLanghorne, PA$1,071
TeamAldi:Greenwood Store013ALDIHuntington, IN$150
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Lemonade DaysMerion Station, PA$50
Hines Third GradeStands and EventsSpring, TX$2,789
The Oaks Children's Academy, WALemonade DaysCharleston, SC$684
Schuylkill' Lemonade StandStands and EventsPhoenixville, PA$410
Seedlings Lemonade StandStands and EventsEpping, NH$87

Total: $142,775.49

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