UW Med: HPV causes nearly all cervical cancer. Vaccination and screening can prevent disease and save lives

Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that can often be prevented. Yet thousands of people are diagnosed each year with the disease, which is overwhelmingly linked to a common virus for which a vaccine exists.

“HPV (human papillomavirus) is an incredibly common virus that 80% of adults will have at some point in their lives,” said Dr. Linda Eckert, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Eckert’s comments come on the heels of a study published this month in the Lancet that found high HPV vaccination rates were associated with greatly reduced cervical cancer death rates. The researchers found that women ages 20 to 24 in England between 2020 and 2024 had high youth vaccination rates and no cervical cancer deaths.

“There were zero cases of cervical cancer in this age group, and the researchers were expecting to find 23 cases. So the vaccine was 100% effective against cervical cancer,” said Eckert.

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Attorney General’s Office celebrates historic milestone in Hanford nuclear cleanup

Nuclear waste storage tank under construction in 1944
Department of Ecology

It took a long time to get here, yet it’s just the beginning of cleaning up the most dangerous legacy waste from nuclear weapons production in Washington. The plant will continue ramping up operations in the months to come, and the vitrification of the most hazardous radioactive waste is slated to begin in 2033.

It’s just glass, but its production changes everything for nuclear waste cleanup in Washington state.

After decades of work by governors, lawmakers, attorneys general, and the Tri-Cities community to hold the federal government accountable, the U.S. Department of Energy is now converting radioactive waste left at the Hanford nuclear reservation into a stabilized substance that will no longer threaten the health of residents or Washington’s natural resources.

Through court actions and negotiations, the Attorney General’s Office over the decades has played a central role in keeping the U.S. Department of Energy accountable for its obligation to cleanup Hanford. The waste treatment that began last week came 16 years after its original starting deadline, and the state might still have been waiting if not for generations of state elected leaders in Olympia and in Congress insisting on seeing the job done.

“This moment would not have been possible without many leaders in Washington state history, both Democrat and Republican, working to ensure the federal government honored its obligations to the people of Washington,” said Attorney General Nick Brown.

“Even weeks before vitrification began, we were still fighting to make sure the federal government proceeded with this process. This milestone begins a new era for the Tri-Cities and Washington state as a whole.”

The office’s first milestone came in 1989, when Attorney General Ken Eikenberry worked with then-Ecology Director Christine Gregoire to negotiate the initial Tri-Party Agreement between the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the state Department of Ecology. As attorney general, Gregoire continued negotiating outcomes under the agreement to develop treatment facilities for safe waste disposal.

Beginning in 2006, when it became apparent the federal government would miss its 2011 deadline for opening the plant, Attorney General Rob McKenna’s team represented Ecology in discussions with Energy and the Department of Justice. The state eventually sued, and the team negotiated a consent decree with the federal government dictating progress on three main components of the treatment plant.

When new federal delays meant a return to the negotiating table under Attorney General Bob Ferguson, his team went back to court to preserve the settlement with enforceable benchmarks for progress on the waste facilities. 

From 2020 to 2024, the office negotiated on Ecology’s behalf when projections signaled the pre-treatment facility wouldn’t be completed as envisioned. After more than 100 mediation sessions, the state reached an agreement that ensured vitrification – the process of turning radioactive and hazardous waste into glass – would begin in 2025.

In September, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who for years has been instrumental in supporting Hanford cleanup, raised the alarm that the Trump administration was planning to abandon the plans just a month before waste treatment began. 

AG Brown’s team supported Ecology and the governor’s office in preparing to enforce the consent decree, but the Department of Energy ultimately stuck with honoring the agreement.

It took a long time to get here, yet it’s just the beginning of cleaning up the most dangerous legacy waste from nuclear weapons production in Washington. The plant will continue ramping up operations in the months to come, and the vitrification of the most hazardous radioactive waste is slated to begin in 2033.

Treating all of Hanford’s tank waste will take decades and additional significant commitments from the federal government. Future generations of Attorney General’s Office staff will help see that work is done on behalf of Washingtonians.

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LFP Police Pink Patch project raising money for Cancer Lifeline

LFP Police selling Pink Patches to raise money for Cancer Lifeline
Photo courtesy LFP Police

The Lake Forest Park Police Department is proud to participate in the "Pink Patch Project" to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. 

With the sale of our pink patches and pink coins we are committed to support organizations that provide care, hope, and resources to those impacted by this devastating disease.

All proceeds will be donated to Cancer Lifeline www.cancerlifeline.org

Pink Patches and Challenge Coins are for sale at the Lake Forest Park Police Department 17425 Ballinger Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 - Contact: Commander Diego Zanella at dzanella@cityoflfp.gov

• Patches $10.00 each or 2 for $15.00
• Challenge Coins $10.00 each

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Run of Hope at Seward Park to raise money for cancer research at Seattle Children's

The 17th annual Run of Hope Seattle offers a 5K Run, 3K Walk, Kids Dash (for kids 8 and under) and, if you can't make it in person, a Virtual 5K all to raise money and awareness for cancer research at Seattle Children's.

We invite you to join us for a morning of fun, camaraderie 

and LOTS OF HOPE on

Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Seward Park.

To learn more about pediatric cancer research at Seattle Children's, visit the

Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research

Register here to run and/or to donate

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Shorewood cheerleaders participated in Seattle Walk to End Colon Cancer

Shorewood Cheer at the Walk to End Colon Cancer

This past Saturday, October 5, 2024 the Shorewood Cheerleaders proudly participated in the Seattle Walk to End Colon Cancer, an inspiring event organized by one of our very own Shorewood alumni and colon cancer survivor, Brianna Mercker.

With over 1,000 participants in attendance, the event was a powerful reminder of community strength and resilience. Our cheerleaders showed their support by cheering on walkers, holding signs and spreading positivity throughout the morning.

The Shorewood Cheer Team was honored to be part of this impactful event and to support those affected by colon cancer. They look forward to continuing to support important causes in our community.

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LFP Police selling pink patches and coins to raise money for breast cancer research

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Lake Forest Park Police Department is proud to participate in the Pink Patch Project alongside agencies nationwide.

This initiative aims to raise awareness and support for the fight against breast cancer. Through the sale of our pink patches and coins, we hope to contribute to organizations that assist those impacted by this disease.

All proceeds will go to Cancer Lifeline. You can purchase pink patches for $5 and pink coins for $10 at the Lake Forest Park Police Department, located at 17425 Ballinger Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155. 

Our lobby is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. You can also contact any on-duty officer for donations or purchases.

For more information, please reach out to Lieutenant Diego Zanella at dzanella@cityoflfp.gov

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Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild thank the community for supporting their lemonade stand

Pink Polka Dots lemonade stand on the Burke Gilman Trail

The Seattle Children’s Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild would like to thank the community for their incredible support of their lemonade stand on August 25, 2024 which was held on the Burke Gilman Trail in Lake Forest Park. 

The Pink Polka Dots raised $725.40 from selling home baked goods, lemonade and hand crafted cards at the four hour lemonade stand. All the money will be donated to continue pediatric brain cancer research.

The first lemonade stand was started by Quinn, Ally and Aila
in 2014 and the girls are still baking and selling 10 years later

The Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild was founded in 2006 in memory of Sydney Coxon. Sydney died at age eleven after a battle of just over a year with an untreatable brainstem glioma, a rare type of brain tumor. 

The Guild was founded one month later by her 6th grade friends in honor of Sydney. 

The Pink Polka Dots have raised over a million dollars in a variety of fundraisers over the years. If you would like to donate, please visit pinkpolkadotsguild.org

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Everett-based Providence Comprehensive Breast Center launches free, personalized cancer screening and Early Detection Program

Image courtesy Providence

Everett-based Providence Comprehensive Breast Center is the first program in Providence’s seven-state health system to launch a free, personalized cancer screening and early detection system. 

Called Prevention4Me, the survey-based assessment has already proven integral to proactive early cancer detection, as well as determining eligibility for enhanced breast cancer screening and/or genetic testing.

This personal and family history screening tool, which was developed by Providence Genomics, gives people and their doctors an individualized assessment of possible risk for developing breast and other cancers. 

It is free and offered to anyone – both women and men between ages 25 and 80 – when they make a mammogram appointment with Providence Comprehensive Breast Center.

How it works

After scheduling a mammogram, patients are offered an opportunity to complete the Prevention4Me assessment via email prior to their mammogram appointment. 

After finishing the assessment, which asks questions about personal and family health history and takes less than 10 minutes, patients instantly receive a personalized cancer risk assessment and details summarizing next steps, including the opportunity to receive saliva-based genetic testing if eligible, which is covered by most health insurance plans. Patients then go to their mammogram appointments as scheduled.

Why it’s important

Identifying cancer risk through Prevention4Me helps patients and their health-care team create a more personalized care plan to support early detection and even cancer prevention.

“Prevention4ME is a supplement to annual mammogram. Based on the personal assessment results, you might be eligible for additional breast cancer imaging – like contrast-enhanced mammography or breast MRI – and/or genetic testing to identify inherited risk for breast and many other cancers,” said Laura Kendrick, manager of Providence Comprehensive Breast Center. 

“After the assessment, patients only need to provide updates or changes to their personal and family health at future mammogram appointments. We do all the rest. We’ll send reminders to update information and fine tune your risk assessment based on any changes you provide and the latest guidelines.”

Personalization

Prevention4ME uses assessment responses to calculate a Tyrer-Cuzick (TC) score, an estimate of someone’s lifetime risk for developing breast cancer. It also assesses eligibility for genetic testing according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines to identify possible inherited risk of breast and other cancers. 

Once an assessment is complete, patients receive a personalized risk assessment, outlining steps they and their health care team can use to create a customized care plan.

“For many people, their care will remain the same. But for some high-risk patients, their health-care provider might recommend more frequent screening or other approaches to early cancer detection and risk reduction,” said Kendrick, 51, who, as a breast cancer survivor herself

For more information about this innovative cancer screening assessment program, visit https://prevention4me.providence.org.

Updated: the screening tool was developed by Providence Genomics

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Swim Across America beach sale and auction August 4, 2024

A team of swimmers, including at least one from Shoreline, will be participating in an annual event for Swim Across America to raise money for cancer research. 

Each raises funds for their own swim, but they are also hosting a beach sale and silent auction at Brackett's Landing in Edmonds. 

All funds will go to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center via Swim Across America. 

Sunday, August 4, 2024 from 8:30am - 12:30pm at Brackett's Landing Park North, 

Correction: Brackett's Landing Park North (not South)

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UW Med: Black men should start prostate cancer screening earlier

Yaw Nyame, MD, UW Med

A study published in the journal NEJM Evidence recommends that Black men start talking with their doctors about prostate cancer screening as early as age 40, rather than 55, the currently recommended age.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation screening recommendation comes from a group of 19 panelists: primary-care physicians, oncologists and patients, including two Black prostate cancer survivors. Dr. Yaw Nyame, a UW Medicine urologist and affiliate investigator with the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, was on the panel and co-led the group writing the recommendations.

Nyame hopes the report will provide impetus for other evidence-based screening guidelines by organizations such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and American Academy of Family Physicians. Black men have a 120% higher rate of death from prostate cancer, compared to the general U.S. population.

“We cannot ignore the burden of prostate cancer among Black communities any longer,” he said. “This guideline, rooted in the best available evidence, gives us an opportunity to be action- oriented in reducing that burden.”

Find out more about the recommendations in this UW Medicine Newsroom post.

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Shoreline Fire Team completes the Columbia Tower Stairclimb and raises over $12 thousand for LLS cancer society

The Shoreline Fire team
Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire

With a goal of raising $3 million for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), 2,000 active duty firefighters gathered from all over the world for the 2024 LLS Firefighter Stairclimb.

The 33rd annual event to climb the stairs of the Columbia Center was held on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Individually and collectively, firefighters and teams get pledges from supporters. Then they don their full gear including air bottles and head up the stairs.

The Stairclimb always sells out.

At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle stands as the second tallest building west of the Mississippi, and the tallest in Seattle. It takes 69 floors of stairs and 1,356 steps to reach the highly acclaimed sky view observatory overlooking the Emerald City.

The Shoreline Fire team raised $12,283. Donations are still be accepted here.

We can be proud that the Firefighter Stair Climb was created and fostered by Shoreline firefighter David Engler. In 2010, he wrote an article for the Shoreline Area News about his history with the event. 

Read it here: Shoreline fire fighter created the Firefighter Stair Climb event at Columbia Center

--Diane Hettrick

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Ecology seeks public comment on disposal of PFAS firefighting foam

Firefighters using foam as a fire suppressant
Photo courtesy Department of Ecology

OLYMPIA – PFAS-containing foam – known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) – is used to fight fires fueled by oil, gasoline, or other flammable liquids. 

It’s also a leading cause of PFAS contamination in drinking water across the state.

In recent years, safer alternatives to these foams have become available, and Washington prohibited the sale and manufacture of PFAS foams in 2018.

In 2020, Ecology initiated a program to help municipal fire departments dispose of unused AFFF. 

Safely disposing of that foam after it has been collected is challenging, however – PFAS aren’t known as “forever chemicals” for nothing. 

The Washington Department of Ecology has been studying options for AFFF disposal and is now seeking public comment on a draft environmental impact statement outlining five disposal options for firefighting foams with toxic PFAS chemicals.

Comments received on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) will help inform Ecology’s selection of a disposal method for the program. 

The draft EIS describes five disposal options for municipal supplies of AFFF: incineration, solidification and landfilling, deep-well injection, approved hold-in-place, and no action. 

The DEIS also includes possible public health and environmental impacts of each option and potential mitigation strategies.

Why is PFAS contamination a concern?

Exposure to PFAS levels above recommended limits over time may lead to harmful health effects, such as increased cholesterol levels, increased risk of thyroid disease and certain cancers, decreased birth weights, and decreased immune response to vaccines. 

Many types of PFAS are water soluble and highly mobile, meaning they can easily contaminate groundwater. These chemicals are highly persistent in the environment.

Public input

• Review the AFFF DEIS and submit comments online now through February 5, 2024.
• Learn more about AFFF and the disposal options at a webinar – 10am on January 17, 2024.
• Provide input at a public hearing – 1pm January 31, 2024.

Related links

• AFFF Draft EIS
• Toxics in firefighting law

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UW Med: Cord blood transplant saved woman from rare cancer

Alexes Harris undergoes a cord-blood transplant at UW Medical Center-Montlake in September 2016. Photo by Hedwig Lee

Alexes Harris’ spin classes were starting to feel impossible. During the 20 seconds on and off sprints, she would become breathless.

“I used to always be able to do them, but in 2015 during these exercises, I’d find myself out of breath, as if I was having an asthma attack,” she said. Harris, a University of Washington sociology professor, however, was fit and had no history of asthma.

A year later, she was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer known as myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS. Aggressive chemotherapy initially pushed the cancer into remission in 2016. But the cancer came back; her team turned to a bone marrow transplant as an option.

For Harris, whose father was Black and Filipino, and whose mother was white, finding a match was a challenge.

"We are so underrepresented on the bone marrow registry. Being African American, Asian American, Native American, Latinx — and then if you have any intersections of those identities, we have a very low likelihood of finding matches, something like 20 to 30%," she said.

One clinician suggested a transplant using stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood. She received the cord-blood transfusion and about three weeks later, the transplant was deemed a success. A biopsy that December showed no sign of cancer.

“The donated cord blood from the baby girl saved my life,” Harris said. “It was an amazing experience to know that, on the first day of her life, this baby saved mine because of this donation.”

This fall, the UW Medical Center-Montlake restarted its cord blood donation program in partnership with Bloodworks Northwest. Harris hopes more mothers will consider donating their baby’s cord blood.

“What better way to start your baby’s life than saving someone else’s?”

Find out more about the importance of donating cord blood for transplant recipients fighting cancer in this news item

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Pink Patch Project

LFP Police have been collecting donations and selling pink patches and coins all month to raise funds for breast cancer research. 

Stop by the lobby on the second floor of City Hall in LFP Town Center from  9-5 Monday - Friday, or contact any available officer if you're interested in donating or making a purchase. You have until the end of the month of October.

Contact Lt. Lehman 206-364-8216 with any questions.

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The Ladies of the Phoenix Theatre create their own calendar as a fundraiser

The calendar is for sale as a fundraiser for the theatre and the leukemia society

Calendar Girls tells the inspiring true story of a group of 11 older women who made a calendar to raise money for Leukemia research after one of their member’s husbands passed away from the disease. The play is currently running at The Phoenix Theatre in Firdale Village, Edmonds. (See review)

The Ladies of the Phoenix Theatre were looking for a way to make more than just great theatre this Fall, so they decided to put their considerable talents on display and posed for a cheeky 2024 calendar.

Proceeds from the calendar fundraiser will help support the Phoenix Theatre’s upcoming 16th season and half of the profits raised will go straight to the Seattle Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“The Calendar is a celebration of every shape and size, and of life!” Says Melanie Calderwood, the Phoenix Theatre’s Artistic Director: a cancer survivor and lifelong cancer-care nurse. 

“We try to find ways to use laughter to help heal and we contribute to cancer-fighting causes whenever we can, so this was a perfect match.” 

”Plus,” she added, “We try not to take ourselves too seriously.”

In the past the Phoenix Theatre has donated to the American Cancer Society and presently offers free tickets to cancer patients throughout their season with no hoops to jump through via their Laughter is the Best Medicine initiative.

Both tickets for the show Calendar Girls and the PG-13, 2024 wall calendars are available for adults to purchase online at www.tptedmonds.org

The play, running through Sunday, October 29, 2023 in Edmonds, is appropriate for viewers 13 and up with parental guidance suggested and implied nudity.

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First Lady Jill Biden visits Seattle to meet with Fred Hutch staff

Dr. Jill Biden in Seattle this week

First Lady Jill Biden visited the Northwest this week.

Biden spent Thursday and Friday in the Seattle area, capped by remarks at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in support of President Joe Biden's "Cancer Moonshot Initiative."

Her remarks at Fred Hutch:

"Of all the things cancer steals from us, time is the cruelest. We can’t afford to wait another minute for better solutions, better treatments, better cures.

"That’s why my husband, President Biden, and I reignited the Biden Cancer Moonshot – our White House initiative to build a world where cancer is not a death sentence. Where we stop cancer before it starts. Where we catch it early and help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. Where we invest in innovative research and help patients and their families navigate this journey.

"For survivors, that journey doesn’t end when they are declared “cancer free.” Side effects from treatment and the constant fear of that next doctor’s appointment linger through remission.

"But with research and the right care for survivors, we can mitigate those side effects and help ease those fears.

"That’s what’s happening here at Fred Hutch, where researchers are working to prevent breast cancer from coming back and metastasizing in survivors, and where clinicians are supporting survivors with quality care that’s designed to meet their unique needs.

"There are 18 million cancer survivors across our country, and thanks to the amazing work being done here, we are adding to that number each day.

"As I’ve traveled the country and the world – I’ve seen innovative programs and partnerships that are making progress. I’ve seen what is possible when we invest in cutting edge research. And I’ve seen that there is so much hope to be found.

"I see that hope here today as well. Your work will change lives, and save lives.

"Through the Biden Cancer Moonshot, we are putting American innovation to work for patients.

"And together, we will make it so the word cancer loses its power, so fewer families know the pain of losing a loved one to this disease.

"That’s the reason we’re all here. That’s why I’m asking you to lean in just a little more, to push your staffs just a little harder – for all the families touched by cancer across the country that are in a race against time.

"That is the urgency of now.

"For Joe and me, this is the mission of our lives. And we are ready and proud to work beside you.

"Now, I look forward to hearing your insights today, and I will bring your stories back to the White House so that others can benefit from your expertise."

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Seattle walks loud to end colon cancer

Marking its second year walking loud in Seattle, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is hosting the annual Seattle Walk to End Colon Cancer on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at Gas Works Park. 

In its inaugural year in 2022, more than 620 people walked to reject the stigma, stop the silence and cancel colon cancer.

This year’s walk is expected to be even bigger, with 35 teams and 550 walkers already registered. 

Funds raised through the Walk to End Colon Cancer will support the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, a national nonprofit that supports the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; raises awareness of preventive screening; and funds critical research to end colorectal cancer – the second leading cause of cancer deaths in our country.

Photo courtesy WTECC

The untimed 3-mile walk is a community-building event that brings together people who have been impacted by colorectal cancer (CRC) to raise lifesaving funds and awareness around this disease. 

This free event is open to everyone in the community — CRC survivors and allies who want to stop the silence and bring an end to this disease. For information and to register visit www.ccalliance.org/seattlewalk

More than 50,000 people in the U.S. die of colorectal cancer each year. With screening it is one of the most preventable cancers, but the stigma associated with colorectal cancer often creates a deadly silence.

“The impact of colorectal cancer is devastating, and there needs to be an outcry to stop it,” said Brianna Mercker, Chair of the Seattle Walk to End Colon Cancer. 

“Part of my mission as a survivor is to raise awareness of this disease, and I invite everyone who has been affected by colorectal cancer to join me in pounding the pavement and making some noise to save lives. It’s time to walk loud in Seattle!”

The walk will be held at Gas Works Park, 201 N Northlake Way, Seattle 98103. Sign-in starts at 9am, followed by an opening ceremony at 9:30am, and walk at 10am.

Baseball fans will support the Seattle walk and watch the Mariners take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Strike Out Colorectal Cancer Day this Sunday, September 17 at T-Mobile Park. $8 of every ticket sold through this special offer benefits the Colorectal Cancer Alliance’s mission in ending this disease in our lifetime. The event is sold out.

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Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild lemonade stand raises $600 for cancer research

Dr. Jim Olson stopped by the PPD lemonade stand on his bike ride to thank the girls for their fundraising efforts that support the research he does in his lab on pediatric brain cancer research.

On Saturday, August 19, 2023 the Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild of Children’s Hospital had a very successful lemonade stand raising over $600 for Children’s Hospital. 

Members sold lemonade and homemade cookies and cupcakes to patrons along the Burke Gilman Trail while sharing about the work that the Guild does. 

The mission of the Pink Polka Dots is to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research and empower young people to recognize their own abilities and the power to change the lives of others. 

Members include elementary to high school students in Lake Forest Park and they have raised over a million dollars since 2006. 

The Guild welcomes new members. The Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild was founded in 2006 in memory of LFP resident, Sydney Coxon. Sydney died at age 11 after a battle of just over a year with an untreatable brainstem glioma, a rare type of brain tumor. 

Thank you to all who came by the lemonade stand to support the Pink Polka Dots! 

-Ally Miner, Maisy Frederick, and Quinn Whorley, PPD co-presidents

To donate to the Pink Polka Dots use this link or the QR code.

Become a member of Pink Polka Dots

Learn more about Pink Polka Dots Guild

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UW Med: Study of psilocybin with group therapy for patients with metastatic cancer

Psilocybin mushrooms photo courtesy GoodRx

Recruitment has begun for a small study of whether psilocybin, in the setting of group psychotherapy, can reduce anxiety related to a diagnosis of metastatic cancer.

Psilocybin is the psychedelic compound found in some species of mushrooms.

“Studies have explored psilocybin’s value among people with cancer, but in a format of two therapists to one patient. 

"Other researchers have seen impressive benefits of psilocybin in reducing anxiety and depression in a group setting. 

"I am asking the question of whether we could have a similar benefit for people with cancer in a group,” said Dr. Anthony Back, a UW Medicine oncologist and palliative-care specialist.

He will lead the study, which will include a maximum of 56 people and be based solely at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He expects to announce findings in about two years.

More details here.

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Pink Polka Dots (PPD) Junior Guild celebrates reaching $1 million fundraising goal

 Pink Polka Dots Founding members with Dr. Olson

On September 24, 2022 the Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild (PPD) of Seattle Children’s Hospital, celebrated reaching a milestone at their “Thanks a Million” dinner and dance, featuring music by Lago Vista Social Club.

PPD founders Kelsey Josund (center) and Maddy Berkman (L center) are joined by current PPD co-Presidents and past PPD Presidents on stage

Many founding and former members joined current PPD’s and community supporters at the Lake Forest Park Civic Club for this memorable evening during which they surpassed their long time goal of raising $1 million dollars to fund groundbreaking research for better treatments, and hopefully someday a cure, for pediatric brain tumors.

   Current PPDs joined the founders on stage at their event

Founded in 2006 by local 6th graders in memory of their friend, Sydney Coxon, the Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild fundraising proceeds support the work of Dr. Jim Olson and his team of researchers towards developing exciting new treatment methods including “tumor paint” which makes cancer cells glow for easier surgical removal.

Tumor Paint (or Tozuleristide), is currently in the final human clinical trial that could lead to FDA registration.

Some of the current PPD Junior Guild members on the Civic Club dock before the event.

The current generation of PPDs include students in 5th-11th grade and they are always eager for more young people to join. You could find members selling handmade cards and gifts at the LFP Farmers Markets or selling lemonade along the Burke Gilman trail this summer. 

You can also find them at upcoming events like the Shoreline Senior Center Holiday Bazaar and the LFP Holiday Craft Fair.

To read more about the Pink Polka Dots or make a donation, please visit their website

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