In October of 2013, Joe Blanda, at age 17, was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor after sustaining a concussion while playing high school soccer. Joe received a variety of treatments, some of which were just recently developed after years of research. Soon after his diagnosis, Joe requested that his family raise money for brain tumor research. Primary brain tumors are becoming increasingly
more common with 70,000 new cases in 2013. In northeast Ohio, approximately 10,000 people have a primary brain tumor. Glioma brain tumors make up 30% of primary brain tumors and are one of the most malignant and difficult to treat forms of all cancers. They are the second most common cancer and most lethal of cancers affecting people less than 15 years of age. Brain tumors are not as common as most other cancers. By pure numbers, they just don't attract enough attention for adequate research funding. Currently there are some very exciting research ideas that are unable to get the funding needed to complete the research to make the treatment applicable to the patients that desperately need it. Most leading researchers admit that they spend more time soliciting funds than doing actual research. Blast Glioblastoma will contribute 100% of proceeds to brain tumor research.
