The year 2010 was a bittersweet year built upon extreme highs and lows.
This year we celebrated a decade of treatment with Gleevec and Sutent, commemorated by an extraordinary gathering at our Life Fest weekend in New Jersey that brought ten year GIST survivors together with family and friends and with the clinicians, researchers and pharmaceutical companies that were responsible for this medical milestone.

The Gleevec for GIST story continues to remain one of the most successful stories in oncology. What could be better than a drug that works in 85 percent of patients? As great as this story is, there is room for improvement. Half of the patients on Gleevec for metastatic disease will progress in the first two years and 15 percent of patients are resistant to Gleevec right away or within the first six months of treatment. AROG Pharmaceuticals may have an option for a few of those patients.

At the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal (GI ASCO) Symposium January 20, 2011, researchers reported progression-free and overall survival benefit in newly diagnosed advanced GIST patients in an ongoing Masitinib (AB1010) Phase II trial in France.

The power and magic of the solidarity around me does not cease to amaze me! I remember having received the gift of airplane tickets to travel to my checkups from good people that I didn't even know, and I remember with immense gratitude the support of my family and friends who looked after my children while I was away.

The year 2010 is gone, an important year for the Latin American GIST Coalition. In 2010 the Monterrey Declaration was signed during the first summit meeting of the group. The group had the privilege of meeting the LRG research team, who works on a daily basis to find the cure for GIST.

WASHINGTON, January 21, 2011— Food and Drug Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg today conducted an unusual one-on-one dialogue with leaders of approximately 60 patient organizations at a forum hosted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).

“I learned a lot and feel so much better having the NIH team as an additional resource, “said LRG member, Anne Pacifico.

Marek Szczesny passed away on October 25, 2010. Born on May 5, 1939 in Poland, Marek was an engineer and happily married man for more then 40 years. He was also the father of two sons, Krzysztof and Bartosz.

Robert David McCormick, 69, formerly of Jacksonville, FL, died at home in Marianna, FL on December 27. Mr. McCormick was a long-time resident of Marianna, FL, a deacon and member of First Baptist Church where he was active in the music program, having served as director for the handbell choir, was Interim Minister Music for two terms and supply organist for many years.