The founder of Cresco Labs OTC: CRLBF and founder of JSC Fund, a family office seeking opportunities in regulated markets, has made a $250,000 donation to Gateway for Cancer ResearchSM Gateway, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding transformational early-phase cancer research, as well as a new treatment approach for children fighting cancer recurrence.
Caltabiano was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, when he was just seven years old. He cited the diagnosis as one of the most profound moments of his life, as well as a motivating factor for his work in the cannabis industry. Caltabiano has been a Gateway Board member since 2016 and has made finding a cure for cancer one of his goals.
Gateway Concierge allows visionary benefactors like Joe to channel their passion for fighting cancer into purpose by co-creating new possibilities in cancer care with world-class clinician-scientists. Jessica Cestone, executive director of Gateway Concierge, said this funding will dramatically improve the lives of children who are being treated for leukemia. Collaboration is the key to success for a project of this scale. Gateway used Caltabiano's gift to grant a grant to The Leukemia Lymphoma Society LLS to support the Pediatric Acute Leukemia PedAL Master Clinical, an international collaboration to speed up the development of new targeted treatments for childhood leukemias. All patients who enroll in the PedAL trial will receive genetic testing and biomarker screening to identify molecular drivers of their disease. Each patient will then be matched to a sub-trial of targeted therapy that is the best match for their unique genetic information.
Despite the challenges of my treatment and recovery, I actually view my childhood leukemia journey as one of the best things that ever happened to me because it gave me a unique perspective that helps guide my attitude to this day. It is hard to have a bad day after you have survived cancer, Caltabiano said. I want more kids who are going through cancer treatment to have the chance to feel this way. It is hard to recover from leukemia when you are a child. The Gateway Concierge program is an incredible opportunity to make a real difference. Gateway, founded in 1991, is one of the few nonprofits solely dedicated to funding Phase I and II clinical trials for cancers of all types, urgently bringing breakthroughs to the bedside for courageous patients and their families. Caltabiano, who was a survivor of childhood cancer, understands the urgent need to change the course of treatment for children with relapsed leukemia.
There is no standard of care for children with relapsed acute leukemia, and their prognosis is poor. As a childhood cancer survivor, I decided to invest in Gateway because of its mission to fund early phase research, which is where cancer breakthroughs happen, Caltabiano said. It is an honor and privilege to be associated with Gateway and its important work.