About Us

                                                                               Lap 4 Life Foundation Inc Committee Members

I would like to invite you to help raise money for our cause: Desmoid Tumor and Intestinal Transplant Research.

Desmoid Tumors are uncommon conditions that affect multiple areas in the body. These relatively rare tumors affect one in every 2-4 million people. There are 900 new cases reported each year.

Because Desmoid tumors are rare, research on them is scarce. Little is known about their cause, treatment and prognosis. It is known that Desmoid tumors do not spread to distant sites (metastasize), however, they are locally very aggressive. When Desmoid tumors are located in the abdominal cavity they are particularly troublesome. They can cause destruction of surrounding vital structures and organs and the worst of their complications can be fatal. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgical removal often have poor success.

Nine years ago, this rare disease affected my brother. He was a 39 year old husband, father of three young children and local physician. Nine years of medical treatment and multiple surgeries with subsequent complications left him with few options. A final attempt to remove his large desmoid required resection of his entire small intestine. He could no longer eat and was reliant on intravenous nutrition. Six months later, he underwent an intestinal transplant, a rare and risky procedure. Seven weeks after his transplant, he returned home to resume his life as a loving father and husband. Unfortunately, one week after being home, he succumbed to an illness that his weakened immune system could not ward off.

Intestinal transplant currently offers the only hope of survival for patients with intestinal failure who are dependent on and often do not tolerate intravenous nutrition. While it is no longer considered experimental, intestinal transplantation continues to be very expensive and risky therapy with a need for life-long immunosuppression. Ongoing research has improved the outcomes significantly, to the point where patients like my brother can look forward to a long survival with a good quality of life. There is a desperate need for continued research both into the biology and treatment of Desmoid tumors and into intestinal transplantation.

Lap 4 Life is a non- profit organization created to raise money and awareness for Desmoid Tumors and Intestinal Transplant Research.

This year will be the 2nd Annual Lap 4 Life Run / Walk on June 26, 2010 in memory of my brother, Dr. Angelo Casabianca. It will be held at Chadwick Lake Park, in Newburgh, NY. We are proud to announce that St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital has partnered with Lap 4 Life. All proceeds of this event will benefit :

Your donations are greatly needed to help find answers, save lives, and build hope. This will help thousands of individuals and their families facing these horrific medical conditions.

I hope you will support my efforts in raising money for this much needed cause. Every tax-deductible donation, regardless of size, will bring us one step closer to finding a cure for these terrible conditions. Please make your contribution check to Lap 4 Life and mail them to the address below.

I thank you in advance for your generosity and support.

Sincerely,

Maddalena Casabianca-Reade

Maddalena Casabianca-Reade

Director of Lap 4 Life