Our guest today, Colin Gerner, is the President and Co-Founder of the StacheStrong Foundation.
StacheStrong is a 501(c)3 non-profit devoted to raising funds and awareness for brain cancer research. Defeating brain cancer and improving the quality of patients’ lives Gerner’s daily focus. The organization has become a beacon of hope for countless individuals and families afflicted by brain cancer.
Colin recalls, “It all started with a seizure. My 29 year old brother had a seizure. We figured, well we hoped, that it was just dehydration–you know something minor. I followed the doctor into the hallway and it was no longer a question – he told me they had found a large brain tumor. ”
Colin decided to shave his light beard down into a mustache in solidarity with his brother, and when Geej came out of the bathroom the night before surgery with a fresh shaved face donning a mustache, it was a rush of emotions. Geej knew he wouldn’t be returning to work any time soon, so he was set to grow the meanest of mustaches.
“We were in this together and it was at that moment that StacheStrong was born,” said Colin.
Colin considers StacheStrong his way to walk through grief and carry on his brother’s memory. In doing so, Colin, and the family’s foundation have helped countless clinical trials advance to next stages, and support other missions in the brain cancer community.
Colin and I both agreed that this journey has brought us into a space we never could have imagined, but without which we wouldn’t be fulfilling such an important purpose.
Hear more of our conversation now!
Want to see more of our new The Grace Walk short videos? Visit @thegracewalks on Instagram.
Season 3 Premier Sponsors:
Episode Sponsor:
Resources from SEASON 3 Ep. 6:
Articles/blogs:
Be Park of StacheStrong’s 5k: 6th annual 5k run/walk September 16th, 2023
Harvard Health Publishing- Positive Thinking May Help You Live Longer,
Cancer Network- Information on the ROADS Clinical Trial for Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Brain Tumors and how to get involved,
Psychology Today- Hope and Faith as a Healing Concept,
Yale News- New treatment merges two technologies to fight brain cancer,
Clinical Trials:
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! Imvax Inc. IGV-001- Phase 2b Clinical Trial Combination Immunotherapy in Newly Diagnosed Patients With Glioblastoma,
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! Hillman Cancer Center- Olaparib in Treating Patients With Advanced Glioma, Cholangiocarcinoma, or Solid Tumors With IDH1 or IDH2 Mutations,
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! Roswell Cancer Center- SurVaxM Vaccine-Brain Cancer Immunotherapy,
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! Ivy Brain Tumor Center- INFIGRATINIB IN RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA PATIENTS (phase 0 trial),
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! Ivy Brain Tumor Center- Phase 0 Clinical Trial for Recurrent Glioblastoma,
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! Lenox Hill/Northwell Health- Tissue autograft to bypass the blood brain barrier (BBB) in human glioblastoma multiforme,
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! BSW Health- Treatment of Recurrent GBM With APG-157 Via Expanded Access,
CURRENTLY RECRUITING! MD Anderson Cancer Center (includes GammaTile Therapy)- Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Brain tumors
Videos:
Meet GJ Gerner:
ABC’s The View:
For our grief blog, visit here. For more resources, visit our resource page here.

Be First to Comment