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Welcome Back: Pacific Eyecare Specialists Rejoins Canary Challenge as a Corporate Sponsor

April 25, 2013

Bernd Kutzscher is an ophthalmologist whose daughter Lauren was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. The entire Kutzscher family, including Lauren, her mother and father, sister and brother have ridden in the Canary Challenge for the past three years. Bernd’s eye firm, Pacific Eyecare Specialist, has been a corporate sponsor of the Canary Challenge since the beginning, to show gratitude for the exceptional care Lauren was given at the Stanford Cancer Institute. Lauren was the impetus for starting Team Lauren.

Lauren was kind enough to share her story with us in 2011, an excerpt of which is below:

“As most of you know, I was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in the form of a sarcoma in my hip in September of 2009.  14 chemotherapy treatments, 10 sessions of radiation, 100 days in the hospital, and 8 months in remission later, I’m proud to say that I am healthy and fully back in action!  I could not have done it without my wonderful team of doctors, nurses, and more at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and the Stanford Cancer Center – and I am forever grateful to them for their wisdom, kindness, and healing touch.

I know that we have all felt the devastating effects of cancer in one way or another.  And despite advances in cancer research and treatment, there is still much work to be done. Please help me reach my fundraising goal so that we may all unite in the fight against cancer.  Any donation – big or small – will make a huge difference.  And for those that like to bike, I invite you to ride alongside me as I sail through the finish line.”

We’re incredibly grateful to Lauren, her family, and Pacific Eye Care Specialists for their continued support of the Canary Challenge. Her story has been an inspiration to many to participate, donate, and spread the word.

To learn more about Jill’s incredible story, check out this article on Sports Illustrated Online: “The Courage of Jill Costello.”

To see the Canary Challenge Team Lauren page, click here.