Fernando Goldsztein launched the Medulloblastoma Initiative to accelerate Medulloblastoma research after his son’s brain tumor relapsed, funding collaborative trials to find new treatments for the rare childhood cancer.
After his son Frederico was diagnosed with medulloblastoma at nine years old, Fernando Goldsztein faced devastating news when the cancer returned. “Unfortunately, he relapsed,” Goldsztein said.
Doctors informed him there were no further options.
“I was told by the doctors back then that there was nothing to do to save my son, that I should go back to home and spend time with him,” Goldsztein recalled.
This prompted him to take action, stating, “I’ve got to do something, I will do something.“
A Push for Modern Cancer Treatments
According to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, approximately 400,000 children worldwide will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
While U.S. survival rates have improved, Goldsztein notes that treatments for brain tumors lag behind. “Kids with brain tumors were left behind. Because the treatments are very old, they are from the 80s, believe it or not,” he said.
Medulloblastoma is diagnosed in five out of one million children annually, with a five-year survival rate of over 80%. However, if the cancer returns, that rate drops to less than 40%.
Collaborative Medulloblastoma Research Model
Two years after his son’s relapse, Goldsztein launched the Medulloblastoma Initiative Fernando Goldsztein, a non-profit focused on childhood cancer collaborative research. The initiative unites over a dozen international labs with a unique requirement for funding. “MBI is all about collaboration and synergy.
The scientists, to be funded by us, they have to work as a group,” Goldsztein explained.
The organization’s mission is to accelerate progress by pooling expertise and resources, with 100% of donations supporting research. “We are trying to find a cure for this disease as soon as possible,” he said. “It’s a model that brings together the best minds in the field.“
Promising New Clinical Trials Emerge
The initiative has already helped fast-track at least two clinical trials for new treatments for relapsed medulloblastoma at the University of Florida. One trial involves programming a patient’s own white blood cells to target and destroy tumor cells.
“By each one having each piece of the puzzle, we were able to move very fast and are achieving very interesting results,” Goldsztein said. He added, “We have much more in our pipeline.“
An mRNA Cancer Vaccine for Brain Tumors
Another MBI-funded study is researching an experimental mRNA cancer vaccine for brain tumors in mice. This research could potentially lead to a universal shot that helps activate a patient’s immune system to fight cancer.
Goldsztein confirmed the promising results, stating, “We are excited with these results.“
Frederico, now 18, is doing well due to advances in research, but his family remains focused on the future. “He is an outlier, but we know that this type of tumor comes back, so it’s running against time,” Goldsztein said. “And that’s why we are moving fast to save him and to save thousands of other kids out there.“
