Last week I received some very exciting news. Researchers at Stanford University had a major breakthrough where they were able to use tumors donated from five children—including Dylan Jewett who, just like Cristian, loved Thomas the Train—to create a model of a DIPG tumor in mice. This is amazing news! Now they can study how the tumor cells behave and they can test treatments on the mice. Using the mouse model, the team at Stanford can also identify a possible stem cell and molecular pathway for setting the tumor cells in motion. So much more information can be gained from this. We are now one step closer to curing Pontine Glioma forever. I can’t describe how happy this makes me feel. There are so many research studies going on now, including the research we are supporting through Dr. Mark Souweidane. It’s great to hear that one of them has had a breakthrough. It doesn’t matter to me if the cure comes from Dr. Souweidane or Stanford University or anywhere else. All that matters is that we find a cure and after this exciting news, I feel even more confident we will find that cure in my lifetime.

John “Gungie” Rivera
Forever Cristian’s Daddy