Roger House – Meningioma Brain Tumor Research Center Fund

Benefiting the Research of Dr. Gabriel Zada at the Keck School of Medicine of USC

My story

Thirteen years ago, when I began experiencing petit mal seizures, I had no idea that my life was about to change dramatically. When the seizures would not subside, I went to see my doctor. One month and a myriad of tests later, I found out I had a specific type of tumor – a meningioma- the size of a golf ball in my brain. I underwent a complex and risky surgery performed by a team of experts at the Keck Medical Center of USC, followed by several courses of focused radiation.

Thanks to my amazing team of doctors and tremendous support from my family and friends, I made it successfully through those procedures. However, I still have ongoing visits with my incredible doctor – Gabriel Zada – in order to monitor my condition and receive treatment to control the tumor. During these visits, I have had the opportunity to observe the groundbreaking work that Dr. Zada is doing to improve outcomes for patients like me, through his research in both surgical and non-surgical treatment techniques.

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors, and arise from the meninges, or membrane encasing the brain. Although the causes are not well understood (most are random, but a minority run in families), these tumors account for 1 in 3 primary brain tumors diagnosed today.

Because most meningiomas are not cancerous, research funding from major institutions such as the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is very limited for this tumor type. However, the symptoms and disease progression can often have debilitating effects on patients’ quality of life and their chances of survival. Furthermore, the invasive nature of these tumors often makes them incurable, and tumor recurrence and progression can lead to weakness, paralysis, blindness, coma and even death.

Tens of thousands of people suffer from incurable meningiomas and are constantly threatened with the possibility for tumor growth and disease progression. More research is desperately needed to help patients with these common, but understudied tumors.

Dr. Zada and his team have a vision for creating The Meningioma Brain Tumor Research Center at USC, the first center of its kind in the Western United States. Their goal is to raise $3 million over the next three years to support innovative research projects for treating meningiomas, develop a clinical training program focused on improving minimally-invasive surgery, and create a national research database for tumor specimen collection and analysis which is crucial for conducting clinical trials to test new drugs and therapies for patients.

Additionally, this center will help Dr. Zada and his team to organize a multi-institutional research consortium and host clinical trials, so they can partner with the best national and international physicians and scientists who are committed to discovering new cures for these aggressive tumors.

The Goal

I am personally committed to championing this project for Dr. Zada and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and have volunteered to chair the effort to help secure the initial funding needed to launch this innovative center. Thank you for joining me in supporting the creation of The Meningioma Brain Tumor Research Center at USC. With our support, Dr. Zada and his team of clinician-scientists will be able to transform diagnosis, treatment and long-term care for all meningioma brain tumor patients and vastly improve their quality of life.

Sincerely,

Roger House

Make your donation to benefit Dr. Zada’s research using the button below. Be sure to click on the “Memorial or honorarium information” link on page two of the donation form and indicate your gift is in honor of “Roger House.”

Please note that donations of $50,000 or more can be pledged over a five year period.

Donations by Check

For those of you who would like to make your contribution by check or donor advised fund, please make the check payable to “Keck School of Medicine of USC” and write “In Honor of Roger House” in the memo line. Checks should be mailed to the following address with an accompanying cover letter that includes your full name, preferred mailing address and phone number, and the designation of the gift (Roger House – Meningioma Brain Tumor Research Center):

Brian Loew
Sr. Director of Development
Phone: (213) 308-4764
Email: Brian.Loew@med.usc.edu

Keck School of Medicine of USC
University of Southern California
1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 300
Los Angeles, CA 90033

Keck School of Medicine of USC is part of the University of Southern California and use USC’s Federal Tax ID Number: 95-1642394. For questions about your gift please contact Brian Loew at (213) 308-4764 or by email at Brian.Loew@med.usc.edu.