Life Fest 2026 was the first Life Fest event ever to have a completely dedicated track for liposarcoma.
Over six expert sessions and panels were presented, a support group meeting and interactive workshops..
Early Sunday morning, July 12th, patients & caregivers participated in a Walk for Hope to promote awareness of rare cancers and connection for the community.
Highlight Videos
Award Ceremony
Board Member (& GIST Mentor & Health Equity Council Member) Rob Taylor returned to be our emcee for the Life Fest awards ceremony delivering a wonderful motivational speech and facilitating presentation of the following honorees: Volunteer of the Year (Natalie Power), Clinician of the Year (Dr. Neeta Somaiah, MD Anderson Cancer Center), LRG Center of Excellence (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, accepted by Dr. Vicki Keedy), and the Community Champion Award to long-term member & survivor Alice Sulkowski.
Presentations
Liposarcoma Sessions
The Role of Pathology in Liposarcoma
Dr. Reena Singh
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
The Latest from the Liposarcoma Stage
Dr. Vicki Keedy (Vanderbilt University Medical Center), Dr. Ciara Kelly (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center), Dr. John Mullinax (Moffitt Cancer Center), Dr. Erica Pimenta (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), Dr. Mauricio Ribeiro (Moffitt Cancer Center), Dr. Neeta Somaiah (MD Anderson Cancer Center), Dr. Jonathan Trent (University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center), Dr. Margaret Von Mehren (Fox Chance Cancer Center), Dr. Breelyn Wilky (University of Colorado Anschutz)
Current and Emerging Research & Trials in Liposarcoma:
Understanding Tumor Biology to Find Better Treatments
Dr. Erica Pimenta
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
PDF
Current and Emerging Research & Trials in Liposarcoma:
Refining How and When We Operate
Dr. Elizabeth Lilley
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Current and Emerging Research & Trials in Liposarcoma:
Key Liposarcoma Trials Currently Accruing
Dr. Neeta Somaiah
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Current and Emerging Research & Trials in Liposarcoma:
Cell Therapy & Exploring Potential in Sarcoma
Dr. Morganna Vance
Iovance Therapeutics
Current and Emerging Research & Trials in Liposarcoma:
SA53: A New Approach to p53-Driven Cancers:
A Patient & Advocate Update
Dr. Greg Palmer
Lamassu Biotech
Radiation Oncology & Liposarcoma
Dr. Ashwin Shinde
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Open Mic with the Surgeons – Expert Panel
Dr. Andrew Blakely (NIH/NCI), Dr. Elizabeth Lilley (Brigham and Women’s Hospital), Dr. John Mullinax (Moffitt Cancer Center), and Dr. Deepa Magge (Vanderbilt University Medical Center).
Additional Topics
Patient Voices:
Living with Liposarcoma
Tyler Merritt
Christina Wang
Caring for the Whole You:
Wellness & Integrative Health
Loretta Mostofi
Liposarcoma Advocate
Caring for the Whole You:
Integrative Oncology
Sarah Murawski, PA-C
Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center
Caring for the Whole You:
Wellness & Integrative Health
Questions & Answers
Loretta Mostofi
& Sarah Murawski
Music & Healing:
Where Sound Becomes Strength
Jess Knoble, MT-BC
Managing Your Care Using AI
Nizar Allibhoy
Founder & CEO, Kerry Care
PDF
Introducing the NEW LRG Patient Registry
Denisse Evans, MS, Sr. Dir. Data Management & Research
Ian Hill, MS, Data & Registry Systems Analyst
The Life Raft Group
Closing Remarks:
Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going
Sara Rothschild, MPH
Executive Director, The Life Raft Group