Accelerating Cures Through

Patient-Powered Collaboration

Our Mission

The Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF) is a 501(c)3 dedicated to curing rare cancers through strategic investments and innovative collaborations that facilitate effective research and accelerate deployment of promising therapies.

  • The Rare Cancer Research Foundation was born out of the patient experience. Learn about our Founder and Chairman, Mark Laabs, and how his rare cancer experience motivated him to make a change.

  • Over 400,000 people every year are diagnosed with rare cancer in the US, yet most rare cancers do not have effective treatments. With limited information about these diseases and limited access to tissue samples and medical records, researchers are struggling to make progress in improving patient outcomes.

  • With our globally accessible network of patients, researchers, and partner organizations, RCRF is building the tools and infrastructure that will provide a brighter future for those with rare cancer.

    Through our patient-powered platform, Pattern.org, we are revolutionizing the way patients advocate for their care and how researchers can advance the development of treatments.

Tissue Donation

Donating tissue samples is the most effective way patients can help researchers make medical breakthroughs and advance the development of new treatments. We coordinate the safe transportation of live tissue, post-surgery, to research projects or our biobank.

Biobank

Enabling patients anywhere in the country to store their tissue samples safely and give consent for use in clinical or research studies to help advance treatment development.

Genomic Sequencing

COMING SOON. We provide patients access to CLIA-approved genomic sequencing reports, enabling them and their healthcare team to understand their individual cancers. These reports can also be donated to researchers to aid their mission in developing treatments.

Data Commons

COMING SOON. We are building the most extensive collection of paired clinical and molecular data on rare cancers that will enable the rapid advancement of scientific discovery.

Personal Health Records

COMING SOON. Enabling patients to consolidate their health records into one easy-to-manage place – providing their healthcare team with streamlined, clinically actionable information to help inform treatment options

News & Updates