Abby Furco was a spunky girl. She loved the colors green and blue. She loved reading, going to camp, playing Minecraft, and spending time with her sisters & friends.
In February 2011, at the age of 4, Abby was diagnosed with Pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (Pre-B ALL), the most common type of leukemia seen in children. A couple of weeks later, genetic testing revealed that there was a unique gene translocation identified as Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive. Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is harder to treat and requires a different treatment approach than standard ALL. Along with 18 months of High Dose chemo, followed by Maintenance chemo for another year, Abby started special trial of a new targeted therapy called Dasatnib, and responded well. Her overall treatment ended in October 2013.
Abby was in remission for 11 months. Sadly she relapsed in September 2014. Treatment immediately ramped back up to rid her body of the leukemia blasts in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Her bone marrow transplant occurred January 28, 2015.
The transplant worked and Abby went into remission. Unfortunately the intense treatment caused acute graft versus host disease. This is common side effect of a bone marrow transplant where immune cells in the tissue (the graft) recognize the recipient (the host) as "foreign." The transplanted immune cells then attack the host's body cells. Abby and her treatment team worked hard over many years to keep the graft versus host disease in check. Sadly Abby passed away on October 19, 2021.
The Furco family has been supported by a huge team of friends and family across the United States & across the globe. The collective effort of TEAM ABBY is brought together through the TEAM ABBY Gives Fund to unite this incredibly effort in Abby’s honor and inspire others to join the fight for cures and better treatments for all children battling cancer.
Donations given to the TEAM ABBY Gives Fund have funded a St. Baldrick's Scholar grant for Hari Narayan M.D., M.S.C.E, generously supported a St. Baldrick's Scholar grant for Saba Ghassemi Ph. D. and named a St. Baldrick's Scholar Fellow grant for Agne Tarasevicuite M.D., Ph. D.
The St. Baldrick's Foundation is guided by a Scientific Advisory Committee, comprised of leading experts in the childhood cancer community, to ensure that every dollar makes the greatest impact for kids with cancer.
These people make us smile — they’re the doers and money-raisers on behalf of TEAM ABBY Gives. They’re shaving their heads, hosting events, starting fundraisers and more to make childhood cancer research possible.
Start your own St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event to raise money on behalf of our Hero Fund! You’ll be paired with a staff member who will walk you through every step of the process, and you’ll have fun knowing you’re doing a great thing for kids with cancer.
Register to shave your head and raise money for our Hero Fund at any St. Baldrick’s event happening around the world! Not finding an event near you? Register as a virtual shavee and shave your head anytime, anywhere.
Head-shaving not your thing? You can start a fundraiser to raise money for our Hero Fund with St. Baldrick’s in a way that interests you! Like biking? Bike a marathon. Like baking? Start a cookie baking fundraiser… You get the picture.
St. Baldrick’s Foundation
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(888) 899‑2253 · sbinfo@stbaldricks.org
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization, IRS identification number 20-1173824.
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