March 2026 Newsletter

Mar 3

Everyone's favorite March Madness pool is back!

Skip the bracket stress and join the Andy Derr Foundation's March Madness Squares Pool — no basketball knowledge required! Each square is $100 and gives you 63 chances to win prizes ranging from $25 up to our $1,300 grand prize! Even better, 25% of every entry goes directly to the Andy Derr Foundation, so every square is a win for a great cause. Head to the link below to sign up and view the full contest rules!

Pool Password: ADF2026

Join March Madness Pool

ADF 2026 Sponsorships

ADF is proud to offer our 2026 sponsorship opportunity for partners who want to make a lasting impact in the kidney cancer community. As a 2026 sponsor, your organization will be recognized across all ADF events throughout the year, gaining meaningful visibility while directly supporting research, advocacy, and patient initiatives.

Sponsors will receive featured recognition at our signature events — including special highlights at our annual Oktoberfest celebration — along with acknowledgment in event materials, digital promotions, and community outreach efforts.

Partner with ADF and stand alongside us in driving awareness, advancing research, and bringing hope to families affected by kidney cancer.

Learn more

KidneyCAN Spring Advocacy Days - March 9–10

Joann and ADF volunteers will be participating in KidneyCAN’s Spring Advocacy Days on March 9th and 10th, representing four states - NY, PA, FL, and AZ! This important annual event brings together kidney cancer patients, survivors, care partners, physicians, and advocates from across the country to meet with members of Congress and their staff to raise awareness and push for increased federal funding for kidney cancer research.

Advocacy Days ensure that the voices of the kidney cancer community are heard on Capitol Hill and help drive policies that support research, innovation, and better outcomes for patients and families.

If you are interested in joining the Fall Advocacy Day’s with the ADF team, email Joann@andyderrfoundation.org

St Luke’s Cancer Center Presents Research Funded by ADF at ASCO GU.

Congratulations to Dr. Wilson and her team on their outstanding presentation at ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium this February! Their poster, showcasing research supported by ADF, identified a specific gene that may help predict immunotherapy response in kidney cancer. This represents an exciting advancement in precision oncology!

We are so proud to see this important work shared on such a respected stage. Kudos to the entire team!

Pedaling with Purpose: ADF Team Heads to NYC to End Rare Cancers

This Friday, March 6th, Megan and Matt Barkanic head to NYC to participate in MSK’s Cycle for Survival Event! Cycle for Survival is a high-energy indoor team cycling event that raises critical funds for rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Every dollar raised goes directly to MSK doctors and scientists to accelerate groundbreaking research and clinical trials for rare cancers — including kidney cancer — that often receive limited funding. Riders, supporters, and donors come together with one shared goal: to fuel lifesaving innovation and bring hope to patients and families facing rare cancers.

Donate to Team Renal Renegades

Friends of the Foundation

Local ADF Supporter Completes Ultramarathon in Honor of his Father.

Congratulations, Kyle, on completing his ultramarathon (50 mile) race in January in Moab Utah! Kyle’s father was an ADF supporter and survivor of kidney cancer nearly a decade ago. He unfortunately passed away in June 2024. Kyle honored his father throughout this race and supported ADF via his charity bib, raising $4,000!

This is only the beginning - Kyle plans on completing more marathons/ ultramarathons around the US (and hopefully internationally) with plans to continue charity bibs to the Andy Derr Foundation. Kyle shared “This was truly a core memory/life changing event I’m very fortunate to take part in and I look forward to many more!”

Thank you, Kyle, for your support of ADF and congratulations on this huge achievement!

We love to hear your stories! Email megan@andyderrfoundation.org to be featured in our next Friends of the Foundation

tRCC Project

Better Together . Supporting the kidney cancer community means supporting each and every patient. This Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, we’re proud to highlight our friends at the @tRCCProject. They are accelerating research and discovery for translocation renal cell carcinoma (tRCC), a rare subtype that needs more answers. Because of this rarity, partnership is our greatest tool for progress. The project is building a first-of-its-kind dataset—combining clinical data and genomic sequencing with the most important piece of the puzzle: the patient experience.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with tRCC, your experience can drive breakthroughs. The project is open to participants diagnosed in the U.S. and Canada.

Learn more at trccproject.org