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Tim and Lorraine Coakley in 1998 at Hills Dept. Store Employee Dinner in Ohio
 
In Memory of Jerry D’Amato

Jerry D’Amato About Jerry

Family was such an important part of Jerry’s life. He wanted to spend every minute he could with each one of us. He never took anyone for granted and appreciated everyone.

Dad always struggled with weight loss.  He would go up then down, he tried every diet.

Never did he complain of heartburn.  Even though dad enjoyed eating he NEVER drank or smoked so when he told us that November 2004 he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer we were all in shock.  Eight months later dad was taken from us at the age of 50 after undergoing radiation, chemo and surgery.

It is so difficult to comprehend the death of anyone, let alone your father.  Trying to make peace with it has been hard but watching someone suffer is even harder.  We thank God for giving him the peace that he so needed and know he continues to look down on us and protect us.

We now look back on the time we had with him and remember all those great family outings we went on, trips into the city, vacations and get-togethers at someone’s house.  He enjoying hearing about your life daily and was always someone who was there for you.

Jerry was a member of the financial world and made many friends along the way.   It was an honor to see how many hearts Jerry touched when people came to give their final respects.

We started the Jerry D’Amato Charity Foundation to celebrate Jerry’s love for life and to help fund esophageal cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Our family is committed to spreading the word about early detection and to help fund research that isolates the gene that leads to this horrible disease.

Please remember to go for your yearly checkups and to try and eat healthy.  We are fighting a tough battle and are appreciative of any support.

The Jerry D’Amato Charity Foundation

Founded in December 2005, the Jerry D’Amato Charity Foundation was able to sponsor Dr. Hector Alvarez from Santiago, Chile.  Dr. Anirban Maitra and Dr. Elizabeth Montgomery are jointly mentoring Hector Alvarez to study the molecular genetics and targeted therapy of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Dr. Montgomery is a senior clinician/pathologist at Johns Hopkins and Dr. Maitra is an Associate Professor of Pathology, Oncology and Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins.

The foundation has also made the following Experiments possible:

  1. Serial Analysis of Gene Expression in the Barrett esophagus progression model
  2. Integrative Epigenomics of the Barrett esophagus progression model
  3. Mesothelin targeted diagnosis and therapy of esophageal cancer

 

Facts about Esophageal Cancer

  • Esophagus cancer is the most rapidly increasing cancer in the US. It is estimated that it will kill almost 14,000 Americans in 2007.  There will be 15-16,000 new cases diagnosed in 2007.[in 2000, there were about 12,000 new cases diagnosed]. About three fourths of the affected people are men.
  • Esophagus cancer will be the number 7 cancer killer of men in 2007.
  • Long-standing gastro-esophageal reflux(heartburn) is a predisposing factor for esophagus cancer.
  • American at highest risk for Barrett’s esophagus and esophagus cancer: white men over 50 years with a long history of reflux.

New techniques are emerging to detest and treat affected people but we need to do better!

In Memory of Lorraine D. Coakley

Donations To Support Esophageal Cancer Research in Memory of Lorraine D. Coakley

Lorraine D. Coakley was a resident of South Bloomingvillle, Ohio, a wife and mother who passed away after months of fighting esophageal cancer. Reflux disease was diagnosed to be the cause of Lorraine's cancer. Although gastroesophageal reflux disease is the most costly gastroenterologic disease, little federal funding is devoted to this problem. With private contributions, Lorraine's husband and son are hoping new medical discoveries will be made to better understand this disease and eventually find a cure.

Gifts in memory of Lorraine D. Coakley will be used to fund research for the early detection and ultimate cure of esophageal cancer. All money raised will go to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where they are working to isolate the gene that causes esophageal cancer.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that during 2004 approximately 14,250 new esophageal cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States. Esophageal cancer is commonly diagnosed during a late stage of the disease. As a result, most patients die of this disease. The ACS estimates 13,300 deaths from esophageal cancer during 2004. However, with the help of research and education, survival and early detection rates can improve.

Please help us in preventing someone else from going through what Lorraine did in her battle against esophageal cancer. Your tax deductible donation, of any amount, can be made payable to 'Johns Hopkins Medicine'. Please include a note that your gift is in memory of Lorraine D. Coakley to support esophageal cancer research and send to:
Johns Hopkins Medicine
100 North Charles Street, Suite 429
Baltimore, Maryland 21201.
Thank you for your support.
 
  
  
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