PLATINUM2023

TEAM JACK FOUNDATION INC

Funding the cure for childhood brain cancer

Atkinson, NE   |  www.teamjackfoundation.org

Mission

The Team Jack Foundation raises money to fund impactful childhood brain cancer research and works to create national awareness for the disease

Ruling year info

2013

Executive Director

Kylie Dockter

Main address

PO Box 607 47640 E. HWY 20, Suite 2

Atkinson, NE 68713 USA

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EIN

46-2301134

NTEE code info

Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution (G12)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Childhood brain cancer affects nearly 5,000 children each year and is the leading cancer cause of death in children. Yet only three new drugs specifically for childhood cancers have been developed in 77 years. In addition, less than 4% of federal funding is invested in childhood cancers. While research of all childhood cancers is extremely underfunded, childhood brain cancer in particular needs immediate attention. Over the past 30 years, brain cancer has overtaken leukemia as the deadliest childhood cancer. That is not because there have been more cases of childhood brain cancer but because the survival rate of leukemia has increased. And the survival rate of childhood brain cancer has not increased at all.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Phase I/II Study of MEK162 for pLGG at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

MEK162:
The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute launched a phase I/II clinical trial of the drug MEK162 for children with recurrent brain tumors. Team Jack provided $300,000 for the phase I study to determine the best dose of the drug and find out the most common side effects. Phase II of the study was to determine whether MEK162 causes tumors to shrink or stop growing. This new drug will turn off mutations in a molecular growth pathway that enable tumor growth in low grade gliomas, brain cancers.

Population(s) Served

This project studies the drug Tovorafenib/DAY 101 (formerly TAK 580) as a possible treatment of pLGG (pediatric low grade gliomas) that have not responded to other treatments. The Team Jack Foundation committed $300,000 to this study to study the safety of the drug and define the appropriate dosage (phase I). In 2017, Team Jack made an additional investment of $500,000 for both MEK 162 and TAK 580 to further investigate. Research in the laboratory has shown that DAY101 may have activity against cancer cells. DAY101 belongs to a group of drugs called type II BRAF inhibitors. BRAF abnormalities are found in cancer cells. There are no type II BRAF inhibitors approved by the FDA for humans at the time of this study's start. In 2020, Day One Biopharmaceuticals acquired the rights to develop and commercialize DAY101 wordwide. In January 2023, Day One announced topline data from FIREFLY-1 trial which demonstrated meaningful responses.

Population(s) Served

DIPG is the deadliest type of brain tumor in children with less than 1% survival rate. The Team Jack Foundation committed $150,000 to Dr. Phillips at the University of Pennsylvania to study a very promising new therapy for the disease. In collaboration with the Therapeutics Discovery Institute at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Phillips and his lab have developed novel EZH2 inhibitors that exhibit brain penetrance in mouse models in vivo. The overall goal of this project is to optimize and validate these novel brain-penetrant EZH2 inhibitors in vivo and characterize biomarkers of anti-tumor response to EZH2 inhibition in DIPG toward eventual use in human clinical trials. The goal of this study is to translate findings into clinical trials to develop new treatments for children with DIPG.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

In 2020, the Team Jack Foundation committed $325,000 to Dr. Ashley Plant-Fox at Lurie Children's Hospital to study a Heat Shock Protein (HSP) Neo-Antigen Vaccine Plus Checkpoint Blockade for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), the deadliest form of childhood brain cancer. This phase I clinical trial is evaluating the safety and tolerability of rHSC-DIPGVax in combination with BALSTILIMAB and ZALIFRELIMAB. rHSC-DIPGVax is an off-the-shelf neo-antigen heat shock protein containing 16 peptides reflecting neo-epitopes found in the majority of DIPG and DMG tumors. The clinical trial officially opened and began enrolling patients in January 2022. In April 2022, the first patient received two doses and is currently doing well. This study will improve therapies for children diagnosed with DIPG.

Population(s) Served

Together with the Nebraska legislature, Team Jack has committed $3 million to the development of a childhood brain tumor program at UNMC’s Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. With the passing of LB 110 in 2015, public and private resources are continuously being raised to attract brain tumor experts to Nebraska and build a comprehensive program. The specialized treatment of pediatric brain tumors requires diagnosis and treatment recommendations from physicians who have developed brain tumor treatment as an area of sub-specialty.

Population(s) Served

As a continuation of the funding to the Nebraska Childhood Brain Tumor Program, the Team Jack Foundation launched the Power5 Childhood Brain Tumor Initiative in 2018. The Team Jack Foundation will invest $5 million at UNMC and Children's Hospital Omaha over ten years, beginning in 2019. These dollars will fund key areas: 1. Laboratory & Clinical Research Funding laboratory research will allow experts to develop new treatments and offer them to patients through clinical trials. In addition, Omaha will be able to host other national clinical trials as well. 2. Pain Management in Cancer Investing in pain management will help develop a national protocol to help all children fighting cancer better manage pain, especially at end of life. 3. Education The education piece of the POWER5 program will help develop expertise here in Nebraska with existing medical professionals.

Population(s) Served

The Team Jack Foundation awarded $50,000 to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to allow Dr. Maya Graham to research the gaps in insights into oncohistone-mediated gliomagenesis that currently pose a barrier to therapeutic development for patients with high-grade gliomas. The proposed project will further understanding of the mechanisms underlying oncohistone-mediated transformation in pHGG and allow for rational selection of targeted therapies for this devastating disease, with implications for the broader role of epigenomic reprogramming in pediatric cancer. By Team Jack funding the early stages of Dr. Graham's project, she was able to retrieve preliminary data for several additional grants.

Population(s) Served

Primary high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) in children are almost uniformly lethal. The Team Jack Foundation has committed $100,000 to Dr. Sayour at the University of Florida to start a first-in-human clinical trial to test a novel form of immunotherapy to treat pHGG (pediatric high grade gliomas). The treatment platform which leverages the use of nanoparticles (NPs) combined with messenger RNA (mRNA) taken from the patient’s tumor to make a product that functions as both a vaccine and an agent that is capable of increasing activity of the immune system. To facilitate translation of this promising technology into first-in-human studies for pHGG, Dr. Sayour and colleagues have partnered with the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), where their clinical trial concept was accepted for multi-institutional trial development.

Population(s) Served

The Team Jack Foundation has committed $240,000 at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center to Dr. Pratiti (Mimi) Bandopadhayhay to apply a genomic approach to identify drivers of pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) growth. Understanding these “mystery drivers” is critical to treating and ultimately curing pLGGs.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Children and youth
Children and youth
Children and youth
Children and youth
Children and youth
Children and youth

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

Combined Health Agencies Drive 2016

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of research studies funded

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Children and youth

Type of Metric

Context - describing the issue we work on

Direction of Success

Increasing

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

The Team Jack Foundation’s singular vision is to live in a world where childhood brain tumors are defeated. We are not only dedicated to funding a cure but also to making a difference in the outcomes of children who are diagnosed with brain cancer by funding kinder, more effective treatments. We do this by funding national and local research, raising awareness and connecting families affected by the disease.

These are three foundational goals for Team Jack:
1. Fund impactful childhood brain cancer research to find kinder treatment options and, a cure, for childhood brain cancer.
2. Increase awareness about the lack of treatment options and the severity of childhood brain cancer which is the leading cancer cause of death in children.
3. Improve the quality of brain tumor treatment and care in Omaha, Nebraska so that children seen in Omaha and the Midwest have the same treatment opportunities available to them, as children that are seen at centers of excellence.

1. Fund impactful childhood brain cancer research to find kinder treatment options and, a cure, for childhood brain cancer.
-Funding national research that will: Identify new genetic mutations that cause brain tumors, enable medicines to pass the blood-brain barrier and evaluate whether certain molecules can enter the brain to treat tumors.

2. Increase awareness about the lack of treatment options and the severity of childhood brain cancer which is the leading cancer cause of death in children.
-Engage supporters and donors to support our mission through fundraising and advocacy.
-Form alliances with families affected by the disease to advocate for our mission.
-Collaborate with local and national organizations to increase awareness of the prevalence of childhood brain cancer research and why research is important.

3. Improve the quality of brain tumor treatment and care in Omaha, Nebraska so that children seen in Omaha and the Midwest have the same treatment opportunities available to them, as children that are seen at centers of excellence.
-Develop a culture and environment of collaborative teamwork approaches to brain tumor treatment. A culture that invites varying ideas and seeking second opinions.
-Provide education to all physicians who are involved in the treatment of children with brain tumors so that more comprehensive advice can be given to parents about the vast treatment options that are available in the United States for children with brain tumors.
-Support the infrastructure at each institution to host clinical trials in Nebraska.


The Team Jack Foundation has raised over $11 million for childhood brain cancer research since 2013. Due to the structure of the Foundation, including a volunteer CEO, the Foundation is able to operate on low expense, therefore able to fund more research. The Foundation has a low operating budget and is able to leverage local, regional, national relationships to focus more on funding research. Currently, the foundation employees (4) staff members, only one of which is a full-time employee. The Foundation relies heavily on their board of directors, volunteers and families affected by brain cancer to help fundraise and expand awareness for the disease. In addition, the Foundation believe collaboration is key so continues to partner with alike organizations to increase funds raised and awareness.

Since the inception of Team Jack, we have raised over $11 million for childhood brain tumor research and have committed to 13 projects locally and nationally.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    The Team Jack Foundation serves the entire childhood brain tumor community. The mission of the Team Jack Foundation is fund impactful childhood brain cancer research nationally and locally. Results from this research would impact all children who are diagnosed with brain cancer and how they will be treated. There are over 100 types of brain tumors that affect children. The Team Jack Foundation funds all types of brain tumors.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    By collaborating with families impacted by childhood brain cancer and other childhood cancer foundations, Team Jack’s involvement in the pediatric brain cancer fight has started a ripple effect. We spark a worldwide movement to combat childhood brain cancer right now. In addition to funding research, the Team Jack Foundation unites over 90 families in the Midwest who have been affected by brain cancer. Through these families, we have learned the obstacles they faced after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Because of this, the Team Jack Foundation committed $6.5 million locally to improve brain tumor care and develop a brain tumor program.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

TEAM JACK FOUNDATION INC
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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TEAM JACK FOUNDATION INC

Board of directors
as of 03/27/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Brianna Hoffman

Team Jack Foundation

Term: 2021 -

Michael (Rex) Burkhead

Houston Texans

Bridget Fargen

WSAW

Scott Fangman

Arbor Point Advisors

Dr. Kari Galyen

Sunny Meadow Medical Clinic

Tiffany Miller

Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz, & Smith, LLP

Janae Simard

Family & Implant Dentistry

Ken Maxwell

Ken Maxwell Homes

Karen Carson

Fat Brain Toys

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 3/14/2023

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 04/30/2020

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.