Every day at cc-TDI we press forward to develop less toxic, more effective treatments for rare childhood cancers like rhabdomyosarcoma driven by the deeply personal stories of young heroes and their families. Heroes like Michele Ekaterini Ciufecu Broadley – a courageous and strong young woman who inspired everyone around her even as she fought hard against alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), a particularly aggressive rare childhood cancer. Michele’s beautiful smile inspires our work every day as she greets us from our Wall of Why and reminds our scientists working at Michele’s sponsored bench of the urgency of their work. This is all thanks to the generous sponsorship her mom Valeria Broadley has made to support our lab’s critical research. We are honored to share Michele’s story as Valeria’s Why during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. We know it will inspire you as well.
Michele loved life, had a passion for travel, especially to tropical beaches, and loved animals, particularly her cat Dusty. In 2013, at the age of 20, Michele’s vibrant world was forever changed when she was diagnosed with ARMS after discovering a lump on her left forearm. ARMS is a particularly aggressive form of cancer that develops in soft tissues, and for Michele, it marked the beginning of a grueling and painful three-and-a-half-year battle.
Despite the intense treatments that followed—chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, and more—Michele refused to let cancer define her. During her first battle with ARMS, she underwent ten and a half months of weekly chemotherapy treatments, alternating between outpatient and inpatient care. Even though the treatment was aggressive and exhausting, Michele stayed focused on her future. She remained in college, determined to achieve her dreams. In 2014, just three months after achieving remission, Michele’s cancer returned, this time spreading to her lungs. But her fighting spirit never wavered.
Throughout her second battle with ARMS, Michele endured another eight and a half months of chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries. But even as the treatments took their toll, she continued her studies, graduating from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Women’s Studies, earning Magna Cum Laude honors with a 3.74 GPA. She even began graduate school, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University. Michele was determined to prove, as she often said, “Yes, I have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me.”
Michele’s strength and resilience inspired everyone who knew her, both in person and through her online community, #TeamM. She shared her journey on Facebook, using her platform to encourage others and offer a message of hope, even in the darkest moments. One of Michele’s most memorable posts read, “I’m thankful for my struggle because without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength.” Michele’s words continue to resonate with all of us who are committed to advancing cancer research. All of us at cc-TDI find our strength and inspiration in our family partners like Michele and Valeria.
Michele passed away eight years ago on September 28, 2016. Her mother Valeria shared “My only child—my sweet and beautiful daughter Michele—is a forever 24-year-old cancer warrior that was taken from us way too soon.” Her loss is an ever-present reminder of the urgent need for better treatments for children and young adults facing rare cancers like ARMS. Too often, families like Michele’s are told there are no options or only decades-old treatments with severe lasting effects because there is just too little research to offer the real hope they need. At cc-TDI, we refuse to accept that reality. We are determined to #GiveBackChildhoood.
Michele’s story is our WHY—why we are laser-focused on identifying and developing new treatments, improving the speed of discovery using AI technology, and providing science-justified hope. We believe that every child deserves the chance to fulfill their dreams for the future. That’s why we prioritize research into rare childhood cancers, like rhabdomyosarcoma, which receive far too little funding and attention than adult cancers.
Our goal at cc-TDI is to make sure that no other family must go through what Michele’s family did. We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of science, discovering new therapies, and bringing science-justified hope to children and families who have been told there are no options left. Michele’s fight and her legacy inspire us to keep going, to work harder, and to never stop believing that we can—and will—make childhood cancer universally survivable.
This September, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we set an ambitious goal to raise $110,000. This critical support funds our research on soft tissue sarcomas like ARMS which took Michele from us too soon. Please join her mom Valeria in making a gift to #GiveBackChildhood. Together, we will turn today’s research into tomorrow’s cures.
