About Us | Angiosarcoma Awareness Inc

One of the most aggressive cancers

30%

5-year overall survival rate

0.1%

of adult malignancies

Angiosarcoma is one of the most aggressive cancers and has a dismal prognosis. Because it is such a rare cancer, accounting for only 0.1% of adult malignancies, it is poorly understood

We recognize the fact that unless we create a patient-driven initiative to fund angiosarcoma-specific research, our rare cancer will never be the focus of large-scale scientific endeavors that might shed light on disease progression and reveal novel targets for therapies.

How we were founded

Angiosarcoma Awareness, Inc. was founded by Lauren Ryan and Corrie Painter, who battled primary angiosarcoma of the breast.

In memory of Lauren Ryan

Co-founder

After a dedicated fight, Lauren passed away on June 19, 2014. Lauren accomplished what the government cannot. She found the common goal amongst a commonly afflicted group of folks and created an environment that extracted the best from each of them. We continue the mission in her honor.

How we were founded

A note on urgency

We will identify laboratories that are currently conducting research on angiosarcoma and raise funds to support and augment their work. Our hope is to fund research that will reveal the molecular underpinnings of the disease, which might help tailor individual therapies.

What you can do

Donate money to our organization. We need your help right now to keep this research going!

We have two groups on Facebook: a community support group called Angiosarcoma Cancer, and our official organizational page, Angiosarcoma Awareness Inc. Please feel free to join us in both spaces.

Donate now

Join the Facebook group

Leadership

Corrie Painter, PhD

President

In 2010 I was diagnosed with primary angiosarcoma of the breast. At the time, I was just about to graduate with a Ph.D. in biochemistry from The University of Massachusetts Medical School.

In 2011, after two surgeries and a few rounds of chemotherapy, I made it back to the lab and defended my thesis. I went on to conduct postdoctoral studies in cancer immunology through a grant from the Cancer Research Institute before taking a position at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard where I led one of the largest research projects in angiosarcoma, the Angiosarcoma Project.

Charissa Kerr

VP & Treasurer

Charissa joined the Angiosarcoma Awareness Board in 2019. With degrees in accounting and economics, as well as an MBA with a concentration in international business, she brings deep financial expertise to the organization.

She has served as Treasurer on multiple non-profit boards across New England and currently serves as Chief Financial Officer at Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland, ME.

"I am honored to be able to put some of my experience to use for such an amazing, brilliant and passionate group of people."