Hi, my name is Eric Biegansky, and I was recently diagnosed in October, 2008 with metastatic tumors in both my stomach and on my liver. Once I was able to mentally and emotionally come to terms with my condition and also feel relatively comfortable that I was able to physically handle the treatment, I decided, with the unwavering, strong support of my wife Jill, to do something about it and see what we could do to actively fight GIST as opposed to standing on the sidelines waiting for something good to happen.
To that end, we recently hosted the inaugural “GIST Do It! Let’s Find a Cure” Benefit party in Chicago, IL on October 24th, 2009. Working in close allegiance with the GCRF, the party was the culmination of months of hard work and an overwhelming level of support from family, friends, and the greater Hinsdale community where they live just outside of Chicago.
Thanks to generous donations for both the party and silent auction items, the party was a huge success and raised over $47,000 for the GCRF. As importantly, the 350+ attendees had a great time at the Halloween costume-themed event and truly served as a source of inspiration for all of us affected by this cancer.
Jill and I look forward to working with GCRF leadership in the coming months to target these funds through the most impactful and promising channels to help find a cure! Here are some photos of highlights from the event.”