Hope is at the core of Sofia’s Hope, a non-for-profit foundation based in Miami serving local children and families impacted by childhood cancer, while funding research on a national level. Sofia’s Hope was founded by Marta Blanco following the loss of her daughter, Sofia, who won her battle against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma but sustained irreparable damage to her heart in the process. In essence, the treatment that saved her also significantly shortened her life.
Sofia’s Hope is committed to research focused on pediatric cardio-oncology. Sofia did not die from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma but from the long-term effects of the chemotherapeutic treatments she received. The same anthracycline medication is currently used in more than 50% of pediatric cancer protocols, but research has identified a cardio-protective medication called dexrazoxane, the use of which may result in more favorable outcomes.
In addition to research, Sofia’s Hope impacts the lives of families currently engaged in the fight against childhood cancer by providing newly diagnosed family kits, spearheading a childhood cancer awareness initiative, sponsoring families, collaborating with ZooMiami and others to provide normalizing opportunities for children battling cancer, and by providing access to innovative art and equestrian programs, among other things.
This fall, Sofia’s Hope will host a Week of Hope to raise funds and awareness. The week begins on 10/20/18 with the Wine and Cheese event at the University of Miami Alumni Center, where guests will enjoy a fully catered menu and fine wines while perusing a vast array of silent auction items. The week concludes on 10/27/18 with the Reason to Run 5K at the Deering Estate, a family-friendly, professionally-timed event that ends with a post-race party on Biscayne Bay.
If you’d like to share your hope, visit www.sofiashope.org to donate or register now. Your support may quite literally save a child’s life. With hope, anything is possible.
