What We Do

Mission

The SDF Focus

Sam Day Foundation programs are centered around some of the most difficult cancers impacting young people, which means anyone with a certain sarcoma or brain tumor diagnosis could benefit from our organization’s efforts. For example, the most common age range to be diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma is between 10 and 20 years old. This is why we reference children, adolescents, and young adults in our language, often using “kids” to group the entire age range.

Research

The Sam Day Foundation funds medical and nutritional research for rare childhood, adolescent and young adult cancers with an emphasis on sarcomas and brain tumors.

Experiences

Kids with cancer not only need support to survive, they need support to live well. We fund to wellness gifts and experiences for kids with cancer and cancer related impairments.

Scholarships

We award scholarships to Sunset HS students in Beaverton, Oregon, who have endured chronic illness or physical disability and choose to live well despite their challenges.

Research

Innovative Therapies

The Sam Day Foundation funds medical and nutritional research for rare childhood, adolescent and young adult cancers with an emphasis on sarcomas and brain tumors. SDF recognizes the deficit in resources and attention toward these rare cancers and subsequently, the very limited treatment options for young people with these cancers.

We are interested in innovative research projects with a high likelihood of moving exciting discoveries forward into clinical trials. SDF gravitates toward translational and clinical research on solid tumor cancers that are less toxic than the standard chemotherapy regimens being used today. Research with a reasonable potential to improve survival rates is worth our generous support and experts who are driven to provide better treatment for young people who have little to no curative options are prioritized.

Grants range from $20,000 to $150,000 per year.

Grant Submission Guidelines 2024

$50,000 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for ctDNA in sarcoma

$50,000 to Medical University of South Carolina to study a Ewing Sarcoma Tumor Suppressor

$63,500 to a Seattle Children’s Hospital Zebrafish Study

$66,000 to Osteosarcoma Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

$83,500 to Seattle Children’s Research Institute to explore a less toxic option for kids with Ewing Sarcoma.

$100K To Tackle The Most Aggressive Subtype Of Osteosarcoma

132a8265f637-12291690_10153304521193963_1655686704254700069_o

$75,000 funds The Sam Day Endowed Lectureship in Pediatric Oncology at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital!

wellness

SDF Wellness

wellness

SDF Wellness

Kids with cancer not only need support to survive, they need support to live well. This is why Sam Day Foundation contributes a small amount of funding to wellness gifts and experiences for kids with cancer and cancer related impairments by creating opportunities for smiles, comfort, and better nutrition for their compromised bodies.

We take two approaches to offering experiences:

1. Create Live Well Boxes for children and adolescents to support their well-being during treatment. Live Well Boxes are available for patients 25 and under living in the Pacific Northwest. Request one here: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/sdfwellnessbox

2. Partner with other organizations to enhance their efforts to help kids live well. Previous partnerships have included Camp Ukandu and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

Scholarships

Education Support

Scholarships

Education Support

Sam Day Foundation awards scholarships to Sunset High School students in Beaverton Oregon, who have endured chronic illness or physical disability and choose to live well despite their challenges. Read here for more information and contact the Sunset High School Career Center for application details.

Applications are due April 22nd