The one hundred honoree: TargetCancer, Inc. and Paul Poth

After he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2007, Paul Poth (pictured here with his wife Kristen) founded TargetCancer, Inc., an organization devoted to treating and curing rare forms of cancer. Before he died at age 39, Paul took TargetCancer from its infancy to an organization with deep connections to physicians and researchers studying overlooked forms of the disease. His wife, Kristen Palma Poth, took up the battle on his behalf following Paul’s death, and the organization now raises money and makes grants directly to physician-researchers seeking innovative treatments for some of the rarest and deadliest forms of cancer. One of TargetCancer’s recent grants funded the creation of the first Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) Cell Line Bank at Mass General, which is essential to finding treatments for this rare cancer. During his life, Paul had dreamed of creating hope for people diagnosed with rare cancers. The Cell Line Bank is just the beginning of realizing this dream.