Our most important project is The Kristen Ann Carr Fellowship, an experienced doctor who studies and treats sarcomas in Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Department of Surgery. The doctor’s training is supervised by Dr. Murray Brennan, for 25 years chief of MSKCC’s Department of Surgery and a world-renowned sarcoma expert.

Part of what the Fellowship accomplishes is an increased number of physicians with sarcoma expertise, which remains rare. We now have fellows working from Ottawa, Ontario to Jacksonville, Florida, from New York City to Seattle, Wash. Each of these doctors, personally selected for the fellowship by Dr. Brennan, Kristen’s friend and physician, brings to the place where he works a special interest in and knowledge of sarcoma treatment. When Kristen was diagnosed in 1991, Dr. Brennan was one of only two or three surgeons in the United States with experience in treating her tumor. We were lucky enough to live near MSKCC. Today’s sarcoma patients have a much greater chance of being treated by an expert – and that’s a key to survival.

Because our fellows are increasingly spread out across the country (and because almost all of them work in teaching hospitals, spreading sarcoma expertise yet further), today’s sarcoma patients have an even greater chance of being treated near their homes. That means, among other things, being closer to the various kinds of non-medical support each patient needs and often best receives from family and friends.

That’s what The Kristen Ann Carr Fellowship is really all about – a chance to get every sarcoma patient to an expert with experience in treating these rare and capricious tumors, and to do it with the greatest comfort to the patient. Additionally, all of our fellows are experienced laboratory researchers, involved in investigational procedures and medicines. But the basics start with expertise and patient comfort.

SURGICAL FELLOWS:

Kevin Billingsley, M.D 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd Oregon Health/Sciences Sgy ONC Portland, OR 97239	Clifford Cho, M.D. Department of surgery University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health H4/724 600 Highland Avenue, H4/724 Madison, WI 53792 608-263-1383 cho@surgery.wisc.edu
Stephen R. Grobmyer, M.D. Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Surgery University of Florida 1600 SW Archer Rd.; Room 6165 P.O. Box 100286 Gainesville, Florida  32610 352-265-0169 stephen.grobmyer@surgery.ufl.edu	Lawrence Harrison, M.D. UMDNJ - NJ Medical School 185 South Orange Avenue, G578 Newark, NJ 07103 973-972-5583
Martin Heslin, M.D. Professor of Surgery University of Alabama School of Medicine 1922 Seventh Avenue South 321 Kracke Building Birmingham, AL 35294-0016 205-934-3064	Michael House Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Surgery 545 Barnhill Drive EH 529 Indianapolis, IN 46202-5125 317-278-2242
Jonathan Lewis, M.D. Chief Medical Officer Operations ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. 1 First Avenue Parris Building, #34 Navy Yard Plaza Boston, MA 02129	David Linehan, M.D. Washington University School of Medicine Campus 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Box 8109 St. Louis, MO 63110 314-747-2938
Martin McCarter, M.D. Associate Professor of Surgery University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Department of Surgery 12631 East 17th Avenue C313 Aurora, CO 80045 303-724-2728	Rebecca Taylor Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer 1275 York Ave. New York, NY 10065 212-639-6081
Larissa Temple, M.D. Assistant Attending Surgeon Colorectal Service Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center 1275 York Avenue New York, NY 10021 212-639-6081	Martin Weiser, M.D. Assistant Attending Surgeon Colorectal Service Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center 1275 York Avenue New York, NY 10021 212-639-6698
Sandra L. Wong, M.D. M.S. Assistant Professor of Surgery Division of Surgical Oncology University of Michigan 1500 E. Medical Center Drive 3310 CCC Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0932 734-615-4823 wongsl@umich.edu	Sam Yoon, MD Massachusetts General Hospital Surgical Oncology Associates Yawkey Center COX 626 – 7B, 32 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114-2617 1-800-711-4644
KRISTEN ANN CARR FUND SOCIAL WORK FELLOW Ilyse M. Lesser C.S.W Counselling & Psychotherapy 128 East 91st Street Suite A3 New York NY 10128 917-757-7040

The Kristen Ann Carr Sarcoma Laboratory at MSKCC, run by Dr. Sam Singer, an expert sarcoma surgeon who came to us from joint appointments at Harvard and MIT, has for the last five years used the most modern methods, including nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, to investigate new treatments for sarcoma. Just as important, the laboratory also provides information on which tumors will—and will not—be responsive to chemotherapy, which can be either life-saving or sparing of quality of life. Either way, it makes a huge difference.

The Sarcoma Update is a newsletter put together by editor Ilyse Lesser together with MSKCC staff and current and former sarcoma patients. The Update’s purpose is to offer information, advice and perspectives on dealing with sarcoma and cancer in general. Its blend of expert and personal accounts is unique among publications of its type. You can receive hard copies of the newsletters by contacting Ilyse Gordon.

The Kristen Ann Carr Fund has provided grants to assist the start-up of the following related organizations:

Musicians On Call

Musicians On Call was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. Musicians On Call uses music to promote and complement the healing process for patients, families and caregivers. MOC accomplishes this by bringing volunteer musicians and volunteer guides who accompany them to the bedsides of patients for individual performances. In addition to weekly programs in New York City and Philadelphia, MOC opened its first national chapter in Nashville, TN. At no fee, Musicians On Call sends CD Pharmacies to healthcare facilities across the country for patient use.  CD Pharmacies are made up of several hundred CDs as well as personal CD players. Among the many artists who have supported Musicians On Call are Bruce Springsteen, Gavin DeGraw, John Mayer, Seal, Rob Thomas, Maroon 5, Chris Daughtry and many more popular and Country artists. For more information, please visit HYPERLINK "http://www.musiciansoncall.org/" www.musiciansoncall.org.

Planet Cancer

Planet Cancer is a community of young adults with cancer in their 20s and 30s, connecting for critical peer support through a dynamic, interactive website and face-to-face weekend retreats. We gather and share information and resources that are specifically relevant to young adults with cancer, and advocate on their behalf in the clinical and research communities in order that their unique needs are both recognized and addressed.

Crazy Sexy Cancer

Crazy Sexy Cancer is an irreverent and uplifting documentary about a young woman looking for a cure and finding her life.

In 2003, 31-year-old actress/photographer Kris Carr was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer. Weeks later she began filming her story. Taking a seemingly tragic situation and turning it into a creative expression, Kris shares her inspirational story of survival with courage, strength, and lots of humor.

With experimental treatment as her only option, Kris became determined to find answers where there were none. She traveled throughout the country interviewing experts in alternative medicine as she tenaciously dove head first into a fascinating and often hilarious holistic world. Along the way, she met other vivacious young women determined to become survivors. Their stories are as poignant and exciting as the women who tell them. As Kris's amazing journey unfolds, she realizes that healing is about truly living rather than fighting.

Crazy Sexy Cancer is more than a film, it's an attitude! It's about rising to the challenge of life, and no matter what, refusing to give up who you are at your core.  This story is as funny as it is frightening, as joyous as it is outrageous. Ultimately, Crazy Sexy Cancer is a thought provoking film about, friendship, love and growing up.

What's so SEXY about cancer?  Nothing!  It's about the women (and men) who have it, we're still whole, empowered, vibrant people - with or without the disease!