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Patient 9 Foundation
Cole Winarick created Patient 9 in 2010 after his father’s battle with melanoma skin cancer inspired him to stand up and fight back. This foundation is dedicated to raising funding, awareness, and hope for those living with this devastating form of cancer. This site offers information regarding melanoma and other related diseases, as well as a place to contribute to our cause.

Founder
Cole A. Winarick is the Founder and Executive Director of the "Patient 9 Foundation", an organization dedicated to raising awareness and money for melanoma and skin cancer research. Cole formed the organization in 2010, following his father's 2008 melanoma diagnosis, which has since metastasized to his lung and brain. Cole has seen many speed bumps in his father’s battle with melanoma. Because of this, he decided to make a difference in the world and is looking forward to taking his non-profit organization nation-wide. With the support of his fraternity, Sigma Chi, and other student organizations, Cole has touched many hearts and families, and continues to do so by speaking at fundraisers and events.

In addition to his work at Patient 9 Foundation, Cole is a full time student at the University of Delaware, with a double major in Marketing and Finance, and a minor in Entrepreneurial studies. He is currently working in the Office of the CIO at JP Morgan Chase. To stay active, he participates in intramural sports, works out at the gym, surfs, and snowboards all while practicing safe sun.

P9 Story
My name is Cole Winarick. I am 18 years old and am currently a freshman at the University of Delaware. In March of 2008, my father was diagnosed with Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Cancerous tumors were found in his chest, some of which were surgically removed. Then in June of 2009, his cancer metastasized when a new tumor was found in his lung. This diagnosis usually comes with a life expectancy of maybe a year or two, but sometimes even a few short months. Because my family is a very positive family, we all refused to accept these statistics

After intense research over the past couple of years, we have found that there is no cure for melanoma, but even worse, there is a very little funding available for melanoma research, comparatively speaking to other forms of cancer. Luckily, we found a new experimental clinical trial treatment being conducted at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. My father was accepted into the trial, and he agreed to participate in it. He was the ninth patient in his phase of the clinical trial, hence the “Patient 9 Foundation.”

This clinical trial was run by Melanoma Specialist, Dr. Stephen Hodi at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. My father was about 4 months into this experimental treatment when his liver failed, in February of 2010. He spent over one month in the hospital on copious amounts of drugs, specifically steroids, to try to get his liver function to return to normal. After this setback, he was not allowed to go back on the experimental treatment, however, the clinical trial drugs worked so well on his melanoma, that they continued in its attack of the tumors in my father’s body.

For over 6 months, things were looking progressively better; the tumors were shrinking and his liver functioning was back to normal. Then in September of 2010, a brain MRI scan showed 5 cancerous lesions in his brain, the biggest of which is located on his cerebellum which has affected his motor control, balance and coordination. Follow-up full body scans uncovered several other new tumors as well as growth in the pre-existing ones. It seemed as though the uphill battle was becoming evermore steep with each new scan, but we all refused to give up hope. Again, the doctors at Dana Farber had a plan and he had to undergo whole head radiation and even more pinpointed stereotactic radiation.

After a lifetime of smiles, family, friends, and joy, my father passed away on June 25, 2011 from melanoma cancer. It had affected our family, our friends, and myself greatly. Life has been different without him, but I will always know he is with me.

This all led up to my work with the Delaware Community Foundation, within this, the creation of my own legal non-profit foundation called the “Patient 9 Foundation.” My first goal is to raise $250,000 by means of various fundraisers and donations. I plan on donating this money to help fund a melanoma research grant so that my father’s experimental treatment may have a higher remission and/or cure rate and altogether save lives. This website makes donating to the foundation more easily accessible and provides information to the public about “Patient 9 Foundation” and melanoma/skin cancer.

For me, the sky is the limit, and I will not stop until I reach my goal. This foundation means everything to my father, my family, my supporters and to me. Please help join the support and spread the awareness. Thank you

Goals for the Patient 9 Foundation...
• Spread Melanoma Awareness throughout many different colleges and universities across the nation

• Speak at national conventions to create safe sun environment

• Host a variety of fundraisers including, but not limited to, golf outings, concerts, and walks.

Our most important goal is to help save lives.