Rare Cancer Research Foundation

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Rare Cancer Research Foundation

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Dedicated to finding cures for rare cancers by facilitating patient-centric research at pattern.org.

👉 linktr.ee/rarecancerrf

About a quarter of new cancer diagnoses are for rare cancers, while rare cancer deaths account for more than 40 percent of cancer deaths. RCRF translates oncology innovations for common cancers to treat rare cancers. Leveraging economies of scale, RCRF employs shared solutions to enable every rare cancer to have access to the research building blocks that will lead to a cure. For more information, go to www.rcrf.org

10/05/2026

CTO Marshall Thompson will be presenting at the 16th World Clinical Biomarkers & Companion Diagnostics Summit (October 5-8, 2026 | Boston, MA). Learn more on the conference website here: https://conta.cc/4xDKCMs

10/01/2026

Angela's cancer story began years before she ever heard "a**l cancer."

After a history of HPV-16 and cervical dysplasia, Angela believed that chapter was behind her, until a routine colonoscopy at 45 found a lesion that led to a stage II a**l cancer diagnosis.

Now cancer-free, she's using her voice to raise awareness of multi-site HPV disease and to help others feel less alone — no matter where their cancer occurs. Read Angela's story at https://conta.cc/4iJccnQ

09/23/2026

Today is Rare Cancer Day. Nearly 1 in 4 people living with cancer are diagnosed with a rare form — and every one of them deserves the same investment in research and answers as more common cancers get.

That's what the Mark Laabs Legacy Match is here to change. Today, and through the end of September, every gift is tripled. Make your impact today at rarecancer.org/give

09/21/2026

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late, in part because symptoms are vague and easy to miss. Better research — including access to living tissue and clinical data for study — is one of the clearest paths toward earlier detection and better outcomes.

This month, we're recognizing everyone affected by ovarian cancer, and the work still ahead.

09/17/2026

September 23 is Rare Cancer Day, and we're marking it with a challenge: every gift made this month will be tripled, thanks to the Mark Laabs Legacy Match.

Rare cancers are underfunded and understudied — but that's exactly why Rare Cancer Day matters. Your support fuels the research that patients with rare cancers are counting on, and right now, it goes three times as far.

3x your impact, all month long. Give now at rarecancer.org/give

09/15/2026

September is Desmoid Tumor Awareness Month.

Desmoid tumors are rare, locally aggressive soft tissue tumors — serious, often painful, and still poorly understood. With around 1,500 people diagnosed each year in the U.S., research depends on patients willing to contribute tissue and data.

We're proud to support the community working to better understand this disease, alongside our partners at the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation.

09/12/2026

After being diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma in 2012, Mark founded RCRF to bring shared service and infrastructure innovations to the rare cancer research ecosystem. Early in life, Mark established guiding principles to live by, two of which were “make the greatest contribution you can over the course of your lifetime” and to “consider the impact of your decisions on the next seven generations.”

RCRF’s mission to provide infrastructure solutions for all rare cancers, not just the one he was diagnosed with, demonstrates how fully Mark integrated these principles into his values and life. Mark passed away in early 2024, having set a visionary course for RCRF and the rare cancer community, and having deeply inspired those around him and touched countless hearts and minds globally.

The Mark Laabs Legacy Match carries that course forward: every gift made during the match is tripled, extending the same approach Mark believed in to the rare cancer community. Donate now at rcrf.org/give

09/09/2026

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Pediatric cancers are, categorically, rare cancers — which means less research, fewer treatment options, and less data to work from. That's part of why tissue donation matters so much here: it gives researchers something to actually study.

This month, we're recognizing the kids and families living with this every day, and the researchers working to change what's possible for them.

09/04/2026

When surgeries are appropriate, fresh desmoid tissue samples can be collected for research. Your desmoid tumor tissue sample could hold the key to unlocking new discoveries about what drives desmoid tumors.⁠

Pattern.org, an initiative of the Rare Cancer Research Foundation, empowers patients to direct their tumor samples to innovative research projects at no cost. The samples are sent to leading institutions and labs where researchers use them to develop models and other studies to provide an understanding of the genetic basis of rare cancers.

If you have an upcoming surgery, please remember Pattern.org. You can contribute to valuable desmoid tumor research by signing up prior to your procedure. Just go to pattern.org to learn more!
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🔗 Learn more on our website: dtrf.org/donate-tissue-for-research⁠ (link in bio)⁠

09/03/2026

This September, we're launching the Mark Laabs Legacy Match.

Mark started this organization because he understood how little research exists for rare cancers, and how much of a difference it could make if that changed. He built RCRF around the belief that collecting living tissue and clinical data could actually move that research forward.

This campaign is our way of continuing Mark's legacy. Every gift given this September will be tripled, in his memory.

It's a way to make what you give go further, and to keep his belief in this work moving forward.

Give now at rarecancer.org/donate

Address

703 Foster Street
Durham, NC
27701

Website

http://rarecancer.org/, http://pattern.org/, http://linktr.ee/rarecancerrf

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