Fundraising

TEAM TURANO'S 7TH ANNUAL GCRF FUNDRAISER WAS BIGGER & BETTER THAN BEFORE!
The Turano Family’s 7th Annual GIST Cancer Research Fundraiser was held on September 22, 2023 at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover, NJ.
It was a huge success with over 350 people in attendance. 

The Turano Family: (left to right) Karen, Angelina, Angelo Sr. and Angelo Jr.

The Turano Family and Friends continue to raise funds for GIST Cancer Research and their tireless efforts have raised more than $100,000 for GIST Cancer Research. Why? Because the Turano Family takes fundraising for the GIST Cancer Research Fund as a personal quest. Their slogan is: " Not just a Team, We are a Family!" And what a family they are! Angelo Turano was diagnosed with GIST cancer in 2008. He endured five surgeries to remove GIST tumors and in May 2018, Angelo was diagnosed again with a recurrence of GIST. Still fighting, in 2023, Angelo has been on three clinical trial and seems to be stable. With all of these challenges, the Turanos made a decision to stay optimistic and are doing everything in their power to spread awareness in hope that someday a cure will be found.

Our GIST Cancer Warriors: (left to right) Dr. Michael Heinrich and Dr. Ron DeMatteo

Dr. Ron DeMatteo is the top GIST cancer surgeon treating Angelo. Dr. DeMatteo, along with Angelo, Karen (GCRF Board member) and their two children, always participate in the GCRF Walk for a Cure. Not only do they walk but they make a concerted effort to raise money for the walk. Every member of Team Turano who participated in the Walk and even some who couldn’t make it, reached out to all of their extended family, friends, business partners and co-workers to raise additional donations. This is truly an amazing effort by one family to make a difference in the fight to find a cure for GIST Cancer.

Since 2016, this event began as a small intimate affair in Karen Turano's home. Through invitations, word of mouth and social media, the 2023 fundraiser was held in a banquet hall at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover, NJ and had close to 400 people in attendance enjoying a tricky tray/50/50 dinner. The small intimate dinner has transformed into a major event with amazing prizes from Caribbean trips to gourmet foods to designer purses.

Karen Turano and GCRF, Robert Stutman                Angelo Turano and GCRF Chair, Tania Stutman

The Turano family’s generosity, hard work and dedication to the GIST Cancer Research Fund has made a huge difference in funding GIST Cancer research. While others just sit back and never take action, the Turano family are personally invested and fight to bring hope for a cure for GIST Cancer. We need more dedicated fundraisers like Team Turano.

If you want to coordinate a fundraiser in the name of the GIST Cancer Research Fund, please call GCRF at 305-944-4590 or email us at GistCancerFund@aol.com

Our deepest thanks and appreciation to the Turano Family and friends for saving many lives and fostering hope for a cure of GIST Cancer.

Jay Laegreid

Many thanks to the Laegreid family and all of those who attended the celebration. We truly celebrate the life of Jay Laegreid. $13,000 was raised to help fight GIST Cancer.

Jay Laegreid was a hardworking, fun-loving woman who devoted her life to saving and improving the lives of others. In 2002, she was diagnosed with GIST Cancer and though it slowed her down, it did not stop her. It was a rough battle for her to fight. But it was a battle that her family would like to say she ultimately won by learning to celebrate life to the fullest and accomplish all her goals before this disease took her from us in 2008. During her battle with GIST she had two missions: in addition to saving the lives of the babies she worked with every day, she was also determined to obliterate GIST.