“Rita”

The Leigh Sakoda Foundation celebrated Thanksgiving by making a very important grant to a 18 year old woman diagnosed with synovial sarcoma (cancer of the joints) one year ago. Her treatment protocol is very complex, consisting of multiple rounds of radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy. The patient lives with her mom and step-dad, and her family has struggled financially early on due to both medical and non-medical costs of treatment. The family runs a small business and lives three hours away from primary medical centers, making it both a significant time and financial investment every time she goes through treatment.