TargetCancer Foundation Gala Spotlight: Natalie Bennett

Oct 21, 2016 | Events, Patient Stories

This reflection was written by TCF volunteer Paul Oramasionwu.

On October 29, 2025, I spent the day at TargetCancer Foundation’s Think Tank on Advancing Precision Medicine in Rare Cancers at The State Room in Boston. I was there as a volunteer, managing check-in and keeping speakers on schedule (more nerve-wracking than it sounds), and I stayed through the reception to talk with clinicians, genetic counselors, researchers, and fellow supporters.

A bit of background: I’ve been volunteering with TargetCancer Foundation since 2019, mostly behind the scenes doing IT work. I build apps and scripts for data management and automation, and I troubleshoot tech issues as events come together. I do it because rare cancers are devastating and often overlooked, and it’s meaningful to use my skills in support of this work.

Leading up to the 7th Annual TargetCancer Foundation Gala, we will be sharing stories and perspectives on the gala from the many people who make up the TargetCancer Foundation community.

The post below is from Natalie Bennett, who earlier this year held Care for the Rare, an incredible event in California to raise awareness for rare cancers. Natalie is pictured at that event in the above photo.

“My name is Natalie Bennett and I became involved with TargetCancer Foundation this past April. I was inspired to get involved with rare cancer research because last year, my aunt was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. For my Girl Scout Gold Award I teamed up with TargetCancer to raise awareness and educate my community about rare cancers. I started Care for the Rare, an annual walk devoted to patients and families suffering from rare cancers. The first walk took place this past July and was a huge success. Additionally, I raised almost $22,000 to be donated to TargetCancer Foundation for rare cancer research.

I’m so grateful to have found TargetCancer because not only are they making great strides in scientific research, but also they are creating a community for patients and families across the country. To be able to work with such an inspiring group of people has been an honor. Rare cancer research is very close to my heart, so to help TargetCancer has been extremely heartwarming and humbling.

From personal experience, I know how serious rare cancers can be. It is so important to get involved with rare cancer research, because there is still so much work left to do. I am really looking forward to attending my first TargetCancer Gala, reflecting on all that we’ve accomplished this past year.”