Finding Hope in Hardship: Purdue Student Champions Rare Cancer Awareness Through Strides for Sarcoma

07-29-2025

When Gabriella Conjelko stepped onto Purdue’s campus as a Neurobiology and Physiology major, she never imagined she’d also be co-leading a nonprofit that’s making an impact across the country. But for Conjelko, a rising senior in the College of Science, science and service go hand in hand.

In 2024, Gabriella and her twin brother, a student at Indiana University, founded Strides for Sarcoma, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and research funding for rare pediatric cancers—specifically sarcoma. Their inspiration came from a deeply personal place: their 9-year-old cousin, Maia, who is now facing Ewing’s sarcoma for the third time.

“Watching Maia go through this battle again and again made us realize just how limited the treatment options are,” Conjelko said. “Sarcoma is considered rare, but it actually accounts for nearly 20% of pediatric cancers. Despite this, it receives very little attention or research funding.”

Determined to change that, the siblings organized the first Strides for Sarcoma event in July 2024 at the Greenwood Amphitheater. The event drew 500 attendees and featured live music, food trucks, face painting, yard games, and a community “warrior walk”—a one-mile loop to honor those fighting sarcoma.

That inaugural event raised $12,500, which was distributed across three sarcoma research labs at the Indiana University School of Medicine, including the Greenfield Lab, where Gabriella completed an internship through the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). “It was incredibly meaningful to support research that I had a hand in,” she said.

Building on that momentum, the second annual Strides for Sarcoma event was held on July 25, 2025, once again at the Greenwood Amphitheater. The day included many of the same family-friendly activities and brought in $25,000 to support sarcoma research.

In addition to hosting community events, the organization has expanded its impact nationwide. Over the past year, Strides for Sarcoma mailed more than 75 care packages to sarcoma warriors and their families across the U.S., including many at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Each package is filled with comfort items and helpful resources—materials the Conjelko family wishes they had when Maia was first diagnosed.

“We want to build the community we needed but didn’t have,” Conjelko said. “We’re working on creating an initiative so when a child is first diagnosed, families get a care package and access to information about clinical trials, second opinions, and support networks.”

On campus, Conjelko is a familiar face in the Department of Biological Sciences. In addition to conducting cancer biology research in the Dykhuizen lab, she serves as a Supplemental Instruction Leader for Anatomy and Physiology and as a Biology Ambassador. Her involvement in science and service is shaping her career goals—she plans to become a pediatric oncologist.

“Purdue has been so influential in helping me find my path,” she said. “Whether it’s my lab work, mentorship from faculty, or the leadership roles I’ve taken on, this place has prepared me for the next step.”

She credits her time at Purdue with giving her the tools to combine research, advocacy, and clinical interest in a way that makes a tangible difference.

“I may not be a doctor yet, but I can still make an impact,” she said. “Strides for Sarcoma helps us find light in a dark time—and gives us the opportunity to help other families feel less alone.”

To learn more about Strides for Sarcoma, support the cause, or donate online, visit www.stridesforsarcoma.com.

 

About the Department of Biological Sciences at Purdue University

The Department of Biological Sciences is the largest life sciences department at Purdue University. As part of Purdue One Health, we are dedicated to pioneering scientific discoveries and transformative education at the cutting edge of innovation. From molecules to cells, from tissues to organisms, from populations to ecosystems - we bring together multiple perspectives, integrating across biological scales to advance our understanding of life and tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Learn more at bio.purdue.edu/.

 

Writer: Alisha Willett, amwillet@purdue.edu

Source: Gabriella Conjelko