Our Cause

In 2001 Richard Gonzmart established the Columbia Restaurant Endowment for research at Moffitt Cancer & Research Center. Using his passion for running, he created “Richard’s Run For Life,” a tax exempt charity dedicated to raising funds for cancer research and to raise awareness of what this research will mean to the future under the Gonzmart Family Foundation.

The Inspiration for Richard's Run

Richard’s motivation to fight this disease comes from friends and family who have been affected by cancer and one young boy in particular, Mark Desmarais. Mark was a friend and inspiration to Richard, and he was the official starter for “Richard’s Run For Life” 5K race that was created ten years ago and has raised over $400,000. Gonzmart and his staff donate time to this event and others to raise funds for this cause. Richard was greatly saddened when 10-year-old Mark passed away from cancer in February of 2007. Mark’s spirit will continue to inspire Richard.

The Power of Research

Adolescent and Young Adult Research Initiative (AYA)

“Richard’s Run for Life” 2011 has been officially dedicated to raise awareness for adolescent and young adult (AYA) osteosarcoma cancer, to help Moffitt find a cure, and to give hope to those fighting cancer.

• Osteosarcoma is the No. 2 cause of cancer in children.
• More than half the number of osteosarcomas diagnosed in the U.S. are found in children

Richard Gonzmart, founder of “Richard’s Run for Life” was particularly inspired by 8-year-old Josalyn Kaldenberg, who is the first pediatric cancer patient in the United States to have her entire upper arm bone replaced with one made of chrome and titanium.  Last May, Moffitt Cancer Center surgeon Dr. Douglas Letson became the first American surgeon to remove an entire humerus in a child and insert an expandable prosthesis in its place.  Before her parents brought her to Moffitt, other doctors recommended amputating her arm. 
 
Artificial limb replacement is not an uncommon solution for bone cancer patients; it's been done in the United States for roughly 15 years. Also, most replacements involve tumors invading just 20 percent to 30 percent of the bone. In Josalyn's case, Letson replaced the entire humerus, as well as the elbow and shoulder joints in Josalyn's 48-pound body.
 
“AYA cancer patients are typically between the ages of 15-30 and don’t respond to the treatment traditionally used for fight sarcoma,” said Gonzmart.  “I want to focus on raising money for this area of cancer research because pharmaceutical companies believe there‘s a "low return on investment” and that it is not worth it for them financially to invest dollars even though lives are on the line,” Gonzmart said.

Advanced Prostate Cancer Collaboration (APCC)

You can be part of our team to find a cure for prostate cancer. Richard Gonzmart serves on the board of the Advanced Prostate Cancer Collaboration (APCC) being conducted and organized at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Richard says "My grandfather died from Prostate cancer, my brother is a survivor as our many others of my friends. I am determined to help; funds raised will support efforts to find new treatments that can help kill the cancer or help men to avoid it altogether.

The Challenge

• Two million in the United States have prostate cancer.
• Prostate Cancer is the most inherited of all cancers. The son of a man with prostate cancer has twice the risk of having prostate cancer.
• Statistically, despite treatment, about 40% to 50% will show evidence of the cancer's return within about 5 years.
• Prostate Cancer is not yet fully curable.

One of the Research Programs That Richard’s Run Supports is the Amadalee Fund at Moffitt

Amandalee Weiss’ story is one of a young woman’s courage and determination to help others survive cancer, particularly the rare form she faced. Before her death in 2003, the 20-year-old achieved her dream to graduate from college and did so in the last week of her life. However, before she died of osteogenic sarcoma, a rare bone disease, she let it be known that she wanted no one else to inherit her fate. She became the conceptual founder of the Amandalee Fund, which raises money for pediatric sarcoma research and ultimately benefits research for other cancers.