Dear Friends and Family,
We are walking in the Sarcoma Stomp this year to raise money for sarcoma research, and we are asking for your support. This cause is deeply personal for us because we are walking for our daughter and granddaughter, London Secor.
London was diagnosed with undifferentiated round cell sarcoma when she was just 10 years old. That moment changed everything. Her fight took her to some of the best hospitals in the country, including Levine Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Boston Children’s Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, MD Anderson in Houston, Duke Hospital, and Wake Forest Hospital.
Most of her care was at Levine and Mayo, where she went through chemotherapy, countless hospital visits, and major surgeries. One of the most critical moments came at Mayo Clinic, where she underwent a three-day surgery to remove her sacrum, the base of her spine. It was a life-saving operation. She was one of the first patients in the country to have a 3D model made of her tumor, which allowed the surgical team to safely remove it from both the front and back.
Today, London is a sophomore at NC State. She continues to live with the effects of this disease. Surgeries and hospital visits are still part of her life, and she uses a wheelchair to get around. But she is alive, she is strong, and she is pushing forward every day. She is living on her own, going to class, and building a future.
In London’s words:
“I was given a second chance thanks to research and the care I received. I still face daily challenges, but I am grateful to be here and building a future. Supporting sarcoma research means giving more kids that same chance.”
We are proud to lead Team London and walk in honor of her journey. The Paula Takacs Foundation funds vital clinical trials and research at Levine Cancer Institute and Levine Children’s Hospital, the very places that gave London hope and care when we needed it most.
Please consider donating to our fundraiser or joining our team. Every gift helps move research forward and brings hope to families who are still in the fight.
With heartfelt thanks,
Jim Barnes and Art Secor
Team Captains, Team London
