15th Anniversary of Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Commemorated for #GivingTuesday With a $50,000 Match From a Donor

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (Nov. 23, 2021) – The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation has been celebrating its 15th anniversary throughout 2021 and is continuing to observe the milestone by participating in #GivingTuesday. The global giving movement began in 2013 and is the world’s largest generosity movement. It is also considered by many as the opening day of the giving season.

The generosity of donors to the global Foundation has enabled it to make a positive impact in the cancer community with its collaborations that contributed to three FDA drug approvals for cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in less than two years. The rare cancer is diagnosed in an estimated 10,000 Americans each year but is projected to be the third deadliest cancer by 2040. Stacie Lindsey and her family founded the 501c3 nonprofit in 2006 after losing her brother, Mark Clements, to the disease.

"As I reflect on the past 15 years, I am in awe at how far we have come. We have a large and diverse community made up of patients, caregivers, researchers, healthcare providers, volunteers, donors, and industry partners that work collaboratively to find a cure for this deadly disease,” said Lindsey.

GivingTuesday allows the Foundation to share the strides it has made since its inception as a small grassroots patient discussion board to a worldwide cancer advocacy group that convenes the leading scientists and providers in the field of cholangiocarcinoma. The Foundation also supports and provides a patient voice - an organization core value - and perspective to industry partners and has established itself as a rare cancer community leader.

Furthermore, the organization has funded nearly $2 million in cholangiocarcinoma-specific research. It also sponsors the International Cholangiocarcinoma Research Network (ICRN), a global collaboration of more than 175 world-renowned scientists and researchers from the world's leading academic medical centers and healthcare institutions.

"In memory of her brother, Stacie transformed grief and loss into a living legacy in building the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation and its far-reaching community of scientists, clinicians, patients, and families. Through her tireless leadership and vision, the Foundation has become a catalyst across the translational continuum from laboratory science to clinical research to epidemiology, leading to the current renaissance in research and new therapies for cholangiocarcinoma," said Katie Kelley, MD, Scientific & Medical Advisory Board.

GivingTuesday contributions make it possible for the Foundation to gain traction with the grossly underfunded research needed across the globe to render deadly bile duct cancer treatable. Much like everyone anxiously awaits the amount of online spending on Black Friday as a measure of the nation’s economic health, the Foundation looks forward to receiving online donations on GivingTuesday to again achieve a landmark in its 15-year history. A generous donation is matching dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 on GivingTuesday for any funds contributed to the Foundation on November 30th.

At a time when we are all experiencing the continued effects of the pandemic, GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people to unite and use their individual power of generosity as a force to find a cure for cholangiocarcinoma.

Donations are accepted at https://app.mobilecause.com/form/Nr9s1Q?vid=nracy.

About cholangiocarcinoma:
Cholangiocarcinoma, pronounced (koh-LAN-jee-oh-KAR-sih-NOH-muh), is a highly lethal and rare bile duct cancer of the liver with a poor prognosis. With approximately 10,000 cases a year being diagnosed in the United States, cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer in the world. It is often diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment is only minimally effective, emphasizing the imminent need for novel therapies.

About the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation:
Founded in 2006, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is a global 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to support patients and render cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) a treatable disease. CCF supports basic & translational research and raises awareness in the cholangiocarcinoma community through advocacy, education, collaboration, and research. For more information, please visit our website at cholangiocarcinoma.org.