In December 2014, Tute Genomics was privileged to join with Mac’s Gift Children’s Cancer Foundation, Utah Foundation for Biomedical Research, Nu Skin, Ancestry.com, and the Brigham Young University Basketball team to make Christmas special for kids who struggle with cancer.
Mac’s Gift is a nonprofit group specializing in the emotional wellness of children with cancer and their families. As part of the annual Mac’s Gift Christmas party in Provo, Utah, Tute has created a DNA biobank for over fifty kids involved in the Mac’s Gift program, and their family members.
The goal of the initiative is to provide genome analysis to the families, and allow doctors and researchers to pinpoint the exact locations of cancer-causing mutations in a patient’s DNA. Armed with a patient’s sequenced genome, doctors are able to direct treatments more effectively at the mutated cells. More precise treatment means better response with fewer side effects — a great Christmas gift for any child with cancer.
BYU mascot Cosmo spends time with the kids at the 2014 Mac’s Gift Children with Cancer Foundation Christmas Party. (Todd Wakefield/BYU)
By donating genome analysis to these children, Tute Genomics is demonstrating its commitment to putting actionable genomic information into the hands of physicians and researchers, to work towards making personalized medicine a reality for these young patients.
At the Christmas party, BYU Basketball Coach Dave Rose and his players spent time interacting with the kids and their families as well as signing posters. A news feature of the event aired during halftime of the BYU vs. University of Massachusetts basketball game (navigate to 54:47):
If this is your first time meeting Tute, welcome! Join the mailing list for up-to-date news and event announcements, and feel free to follow along on Facebook and Twitter. If you’d like to read more about Tute’s history and mission, read this interview with CEO Dr. Reid Robison.