Three Cities, One Mission: Sanne, Andrea and Marcos' Fundraising Journey

Did you know our Labs for Life team includes more than just NKI-AVL members from Amsterdam?

We’re happy to have researchers from UAntwerpen (Antwerp) and Radboudumc (Nijmegen) joining our mission!

Here’s the latest: Sanne raised an impressive €805 through a bake sale and generous donations from family and friends on social media. Not to be outdone, Andrea and Marcos whipped up a fantastic bake sale on August 29th, together pulling in €680.

Thanks to their efforts, Sanne, Andrea, and Marcos contributed to nearly 60% of our fundraising goal! 🎉

Here, they’d like to share a bit more about themselves and extend their thanks for the kind donations.

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Hi,

I'm Sanne van der Heijden, a PhD student at UAntwerpen specializing in glioma and currently working with the Akkari lab. Having seen the impact of cancer up close, I understand the crucial need for ongoing cancer research. That’s why I’ve joined my fellow collaborators in this mission. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my friends and family for their generous support and contributions—they mean the world to me. 

Hello! :)

I'm Andrea Rodgers, a PhD student in tumor immunology at Radboudumc, originally from Spain. I like science and helping others, and I find very gratifying combining my love for sports with meaningful causes. Recently, alongside my colleague Marcos, we organized a bake sale at Radboudumc to raise funds for cancer research.

Fundraising is a way for me to contribute to this beyond the lab. Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, and have recently developed a growing passion for cooking. We’re pleased to share that the bake sale was a success, and we want to thank everyone who donated and supported us.

Hello everyone,

I'm Marcos Vidal Manrique, a passionate researcher currently pursuing my PhD in cancer immunotherapy, specifically focusing on ovarian cancer. Being actively involved in cancer research on a daily basis and having personally lost family members to cancer has made me aware of the importance of raising funds to support the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for cancer. I believe that every discovery brings us one step closer to new treatments, better outcomes, and ultimately, a world where cancer is no longer a threat.

To help make this dream a reality, I am participating alongside friends in the Dam tot Damloop by night race this year to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. The fight against cancer is far from over, but with your support, we can work towards a future where no one has to lose a loved one to this terrible disease. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference. Will you help us achieve this dream?