ABOUT US

#jointhebrainstorm

Our mission is to end brain cancer by raising funds for research and extending an open invitation to unite in hope and action for the cure. We cannot achieve our mission without you.

OUR VALUES

Integrity

Everything we do at 3000 Miles to a Cure both individually and as an organization is done with honesty, sincerity and truth, reflecting strong moral principles.

read more

Innovation

We take the best from the successes of the past but always push ourselves to challenge what has been done with what could be done and we pursue that vision with courage.

read more

Inclusivity

3000 Miles to a Cure is a team. Every single teammate is uniquely valuable. Together, we can cure brain cancer.

read more

HOPE

Hope is the foundation of action. We inspire each other to hope and act to accomplish amazing things.

read more

EXCELLENCE

The battle against brain cancer will not be won haphazardly. We will perform our commitments to the highest possible level of quality.

read more

COURAGE

We are committed to achieving our goal. We will consider new approaches, foster new partnerships and work harder, but never give up, even when faced with failure or defeat.

read more

OUR STORY

For us, and those who have joined us, this is personal. Perhaps it is to you as well. Jenny Mulligan was our founder’s sister, best friend and mother of five. When doctors found a large tumor in Jenny’s brain – called a glioblastoma – it simultaneously devastated and galvanized the family to seek hope and a cure. There was none.

That was 2012 and the beginning of the effort we called 3000 Miles to a Cure. What we have come to understand since then is that this is a problem that can be solved with funding. Brilliant researchers are working hard on this complex problem and they have well-founded optimism that reasonable treatments are on the horizon. But they are limited by lack of funding for their research. Though it is the number one cancer killer of children, brain tumor research is not well funded by the National Institutes of Health. This is because funding is allocated based on prevalence in the population. Brain cancer kills so quickly that the proportion of cases in the population at a given time is low, despite its relatively high incidence. If we can extend life expectancy even one or two more years, this could have a massive and accelerating positive impact on the state of research.

So that is what we have set out to do. Our mission is to end brain cancer by raising funds for research, extending an open invitation to unite in hope and action for the cure.

Why 3000 Miles? Jenny’s sister and 3000 Miles to a Cure’s founder, Maria Parker, is an endurance cyclist with four World Ultramarathon Cycling Association records including the 100 mile, 200 mile, 12 hour and 24 hour events. She had qualified for the famous and grueling Race Across America (RAAM) many times.

But it wasn’t until Jenny’s diagnosis that Maria decided to compete in the 3000-mile Race Across America in order to try to make a difference by raising money for brain cancer research. Parker and her team called the effort 3000 Miles to a Cure.

Parker finished the race first among women in 11 days and 18 hours, despite having her follow vehicle totaled and dealing with the daunting physical, mental and emotional challenges of what is widely considered one of the toughest races in the world. Race Across America staff called her race “The Most Inspirational RAAM Story Ever.”

ABOUT BRAIN CANCER

Brain cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world. Within five years of diagnosis, 3 out of every 4 patients will die. Some brain cancers, like glioblastoma multiforme, have a median survival rate of one to two years, even with aggressive chemotherapy and radiation.

This year, an estimated 69,720 cases of primary brain tumors will be diagnosed. Approximately 4,300 children younger than 20 will be diagnosed. Brain cancer is the number two cause of cancer deaths in children.

Brain tumors do not discriminate – the causes of brain tumors are currently unknown. There are no known lifestyle factors that increase your chances of developing brain cancer.

Currently, there are a very limited number of treatments approved by the FDA for use in treating brain tumors.

The team at 3000 Miles to a Cure knows that with proper funding, the outcome for those diagnosed with brain cancer can improve. Susan G. Komen and Team in Training have changed the odds for those with Breast Cancer and Leukemia/Lymphoma. HIV was transformed from a diagnosis of certain death to a chronic disease allowing for a full life. We want to see the same thing occur for brain cancer.

What does your gift fund?

We are currently investing in Dr. Keith Ligon’s research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute which is helping glioblastoma patients get access to the latest advances in the diagnosis and clinical trials of these aggressive brain tumors.

TAKE ACTION

We invite you to take action to end brain cancer by giving at your comfort level, joining or supporting one of our events, or by joining our team as a volunteer.

bronskiyAbout