Rutledge Cancer Foundation was founded in 2011, after 15 year old Carley Rutledge was diagnosed with stage IV Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive bone and soft tissue cancer. When friends and family learned that teen and young adult cancer patients had seen little change in treatment options and survival rates for over 40 years, they decided to take action. The first fundraiser was a kickball tournament that raised over $35,000 to help fund a teen room at Cook Children's Medical Center and much needed sarcoma research.
A year following standard treatment, Carley relapsed and was given a 6% chance of survival, but thanks to enrolling in an immunotherapy clinical trial. She survived and thrived for 11 years but sadly, the cancer returned and she lost her battle in November of 2021. Advances have been made for many cancers but not sarcomas. By supporting innovative research, we hope to bring less toxic, life-saving therapies, like the one Carley received, but more curative to others battling sarcomas and solid tumor cancers.
From the beginning, Rutledge Cancer Foundation and its supporters have volunteered thousands of hours to help young people with cancer. Many of us have been in the shoes of our patients and their families. It is the knowledge that we have acquired, the collaborations that we have created, and the community that we have gathered, that will bring change and a healthier future to young cancer patients. Please join us in easing cancer's impact, raising survival rates and finding a cure.
Rutledge Cancer Foundation Patient Programs help provide crucial support and high quality, age appropriate programs for pre-teen/teen and young adult cancer patients and their families. We help fill the gap between adult and pediatric cancer centers in North Texas and help provide important opportunities for patient care and interaction. For teens and young adults, life during and after cancer is often difficult for a myriad of reasons; interruption of education or career, infertility, chronic health issues from treatment, emotional issues, financial stress and many times, secondary cancers. Patients try to maintain a "normal" life, but suffer from long lasting and life changing side effects. Our patient programs address and mitigate many of these issues and help young survivors find community and live a full life.
The Rutledge Cancer Foundation works to ease the impact of cancer on the lives of teens and young adults, raise the survival rates and find a cure for sarcomas and other solid tumor cancers.
-We fund patient programs that address unmet emotional and physical needs.
-We work as a catalyst to increase awareness and early detection.
-We support research for less toxic, personalized cancer therapies.
Rutledge Cancer Foundation's research is focused on cancers that impact AYA cancer patients (age 11 to 39) that suffer from long term side effects as a result of their cancer treatment. We serve all cancer patients in this age range regardless of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, gender, physical ability or language. Because of the economic vulnerability of the ages that we serve, many of our clients rely on RCF to meet critical needs otherwise unmet by traditional hospital settings. We help to mediate immediate patient needs through our programs, collaboration with other medical centers and through clinical trials.
Organization name
Rutledge Cancer Foundation
Causes
Health Care, Medical/Scientific Research, Youth & Children
Operating Budget
$250,000 - $499,999
Counties Served
Dallas, Tarrant
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
5608 Malvey Ave. Suite 306