October 2026: Bringing Hope and Clinical Trial Access to Patients with Gynecologic Carcinosarcoma

Thanks to the generosity of countless supporters for the past ten years in honor of founder Diane Redington, The GCS Project is helping change what is possible for women battling gynecologic carcinosarcoma (GCS).

From left: Ryan Luginbuhl, Vice President, Oncology Service Line; Mandy Luczkowiak, Manager, Digital Experience Navigation & Intake at OnCall and Cancer Institute support; Alexis Hart, Supervisor, Digital Experience Navigation & Intake at OnCall and Cancer Institute support; Michelle Rowland M.D., obstetrics and gynecology; John and Debi Redington and Karen Metzinger, founding board members of The GCS Project honoring Diane Redington, and Jim Ardis, Strategic Philanthropy Officer, OSF Healthcare Foundation.

Through a generous $70,000 grant to the OSF Cancer Institute, The GCS Project is supporting the effort to bring a dedicated clinical trial for patients with GCS to Central Illinois, led by Dr. Michelle Rowland, a physician with expertise in treating this rare and aggressive cancer.

“The GCS Project is an amazing group, not only in raising awareness about GCS but in working to drive toward better treatment of this rare cancer,” Dr. Rowland said. “It is an honor to receive this gift at OSF to continue to work on a clinical trial to improve treatment and to continue to support GCS awareness and response.”

Gynecologic carcinosarcoma is a rare cancer for which treatment options remain limited, and access to specialized clinical trials can be difficult—particularly for patients living outside major academic cancer centers. By supporting the infrastructure needed to open a clinical trial at OSF Cancer Institute, The GCS Project is helping bring cutting-edge research and potential new treatment options closer to home.

This partnership represents an important step toward ensuring that where a patient lives does not determine whether she has access to promising cancer research.

The funding from The GCS Project will help support the work necessary to identify, activate, and

successfully conduct a clinical trial specifically relevant to patients with GCS. The goal is not simply to open a study—it is to create a pathway for patients to participate in research that may advance our understanding and treatment of this rare disease.

At OSF Cancer Institute, Dr. Rowland and the oncology team are committed to building expertise in rare gynecologic cancers while providing patients with comprehensive care close to home.

The GCS Project is helping make that possible.

Together, The GCS Project and OSF Cancer Institute are working to expand clinical trial access, advance research, and ultimately improve outcomes for women affected by gynecologic carcinosarcoma.

$70,000 invested. One clinical trial. Greater access to hope, research, and potentially life-changing treatment for women with GCS.

This is what happens when patients, advocates, philanthropy, and cancer care come together to take on a rare cancer.