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research dossier

LOVE4LUCAS FOUNDATION

Pound Ridge, NY · EIN 830604592 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · NTEE H30 · Medical Research · Micro (<$100K) · love4lucas.org
revenue
$51K
expenses
$54K
net assets
$141K
employees
mission · from form 990

To raise awareness of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), contribute to research into a cure for DIPG and support families impacted by DIPG.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Love4Lucas Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in honor of Lucas Harashima, a child who died from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) at age 6. The foundation focuses on raising awareness of DIPG, funding innovative research toward a cure, and providing financial support to families affected by the disease. It operates nationally with fundraising driven by virtual events and community engagement.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Family Financial Support Grants
Provides financial assistance to families with children diagnosed with DIPG to help manage costs associated with treatment and care.
Love4Lucas Turkey Trot
Annual virtual run/walk/bike event held over Thanksgiving weekend to raise funds for DIPG research and family support; includes a 1-mile dog walk option.
Research Grant Program
Funds innovative DIPG research through grants to organizations such as the Children's Brain Tumor Project and the DIPG/DMG Collaborative.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Rare Genetic Disease Research and Advocacy 2 activities
    • Providing educational information about DIPG
      Offers educational resources about DIPG, including data on incidence rates and demographic patterns.
    • Raising awareness about DIPG
      Conducts advocacy and public education efforts to raise awareness about DIPG, including participation in media such as the Brain & Life Podcast and highlighting the lack of proven treatments over the past 30 years.
  • Cancer Research Funding 1 activity
    • Funding DIPG research
      Funds innovative research aimed at improving survival rates and finding a cure for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), including support for targeted therapy, drug delivery, and clinical/translational research. Contributed $250,000 over five years to research organizations and made specific donations of $50,000 to the Children's Brain Tumor Project and the DIPG/DMG Collaborative in multiple years.
  • Charity Event Organization 1 activity
    • Organizing fundraising events
      Hosted a virtual 5K run/walk/bike event in 2021, its largest annual fundraiser, with proceeds directed toward DIPG research and family support.
  • Pediatric Medical Care and Research Support 1 activity
    • Providing financial support to families affected by DIPG
      Provides financial grants to families of children diagnosed with DIPG to help support their needs.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$51K
Contributions & grants$51K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$54K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$51K
balance sheet
Total assets$141K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$141K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -47.8%
relationships · 13

Who they work with

  • Brain & Life Podcast Partner — Collaborated with the Brain & Life Podcast to raise awareness about DIPG and the mission of Love4Lucas Foundation.
  • Children's Brain Tumor Project Partner — Funded by Love4Lucas Foundation to support targeted therapy and drug delivery research for DIPG.
  • Children's Brain Tumor Project Partner — Funded to support research on targeted therapy and drug delivery approaches for DIPG.
  • Children's Brain Tumor Project Partner — Funding recipient for research on targeted therapy and drug delivery approaches for DIPG.
  • DIPG/DMG Collaborative Partner — Funded by Love4Lucas Foundation to support clinical and translational research for DIPG.
  • DIPG/DMG Collaborative Partner — Funded to support clinical and translational research for DIPG.
  • DIPG/DMG Collaborative Partner — Funding recipient for clinical and translational research for DIPG.
  • Love4Lucas Foundation Network — Facebook page created by the Harashima Family to share updates about the foundation's mission and activities.
  • Love4Lucas Foundation Network — Organizer and beneficiary of the annual virtual Turkey Trot fundraising event.
  • Peter Kim Partner — Medical advisor who helps identify innovative research and clinical applications for DIPG
  • Stanford University Partner — Engaged with Dr. Paul Fisher of Stanford University to discuss DIPG research and treatment on a public platform.
  • twelveNYC Partner — Collaborates on the development and provision of #LOVE4LUCAS merchandise.
  • twelveNYC Partner — Partnered to design, create, and donate merchandise for the Love4Lucas Foundation.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Awareness Drives Research Funding
    methodology: awareness-to-funding
    By raising public awareness of DIPG's urgency and lack of treatment progress, the foundation generates donor interest and funding, which in turn accelerates medical research toward a cure because visibility creates emotional and financial momentum.
  • Disease Research with Broader Scientific Impact
    methodology: homerun_cure
    By focusing on curing DIPG, the foundation advances research that may yield breakthrough insights applicable to other cancers, increasing the scientific return on investment because pediatric cancer breakthroughs can reveal fundamental mechanisms of tumor biology.
  • Full-Proceeds Research Granting Model
    methodology: full_proceeds_granting
    By directing 100% of fundraising proceeds to DIPG research and family support, the foundation maximizes the financial impact of each donation, accelerating scientific progress because donors are more willing to give when they know their contributions are fully applied to mission-critical work.