Rams Community | Los Angeles Rams - therams.com

Karen's melanoma started in 2002 in her left eye. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) eye specialist, Dr. Holland, tried to treat the melanoma for four years. Eventually, Karen was informed that they had no choice but to take her eye out, which would also require taking part of her face. Karen agreed to the procedure. She had a party the Saturday before the surgery to take pictures with all the family and grandchildren. That same day, Dr. Holland called and said he talked to Dr. Shield, a cancer eye specialist in Philadelphia, saying he wanted to see Karen on Monday morning. She packed and the next day flew to Philadelphia. On Monday doctors examined her all day and Dr. Shields said he could remove the cancer and save her eye and face. Karen had the surgery done and is still able to connect with family and friends.

Anyone who meets Karen would describe her as full of life, infectiously positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic. Karen projects a can-do attitude among friends, teammates and just about anyone she meets. She enjoys a challenge and if she's ever knocked down, she jumps right back up. There's no quit in Karen. In 2013 she was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer. In that year, she went through 16 chemotherapy sessions and 31 radiation treatments. Karen leaned on her faith to provide her strength throughout treatment. When she returned to her job as principal, her teachers and students renewed her purpose and showed their support. At the end of 2013, her peers and school district directors voted Karen "Administrator of the Year." Now, 10 years later, Karen sees each day as a blessing with the help of her mind and attitude. Karen exemplified courage, determination, perseverance, passion and resilience throughout her cancer battle and she continues to possess those characteristics in her cancer free life as well. 

Karen's daughter says her mom is one of the strongest anchors in her life. Karen's unwavering love and support has shaped her into the person she is today. "Karen has one of the best smiles around and radiates a sense of comfort that can put anyone at ease. Her patience and love for her family and friends are boundless, and she is always willing to help," said Karen's daughter. One of the most profound chapters of Karen's life was her battle with breast cancer. It was a challenging and uncertain time for her family, but Karen's constant determination beamed brightly. She did not allow the diagnosis to dim her spirit. Her journey through cancer was a true lesson in resilience. Karen is an amazing mom, wife, daughter and, most of all, grandma. Karen is a two-time cancer survivor and her trust in God, along with the support of her family, saved her life. She is a source of inspiration and love.

In October of 2020, Sherrie Villamor was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. At the time, neither Sherrie nor her husband, Cliff, had ever heard of this disease, but after investigating the aspects of the disease it became apparent it was an incurable blood cancer. The two were initially devastated by the news and wondered what they'd do. They both realized that to fight the disease, a positive and committed approach to healing was important, and an all-encompassing health care team approach was necessary. This team included family, close friends and dedicated healthcare professionals who were all focused on the betterment of Sherrie's condition. With a background in engineering, Sherrie set out to gather as much relevant and credible data as possible about the disease. She and her husband gleaned information from various doctors and especially gravitated towards doctors who specialized in treating multiple myeloma. While the disease may be incurable now, Sherrie has participated in various state of the art treatments and clinical trials that have helped her continue to fight the disease and provide data for the medical community to understand the nuances of the disease in hopes of finding a cure. Sherrie continues to keep a positive attitude during her healing journey and all aspects of her life including strong religious faith, support and love from her immediate family and friends and trust in her healthcare team. She is honored and humbled to be recognized as a Crucial Catch Captain for the Los Angels Rams.

Throughout his journey with a brain tumor diagnosis, sports and exercise have been an important part of John Richardson's treatment plan with Cedars-Sinai neuro-oncologist Dr. Jethro Hu. During their clinic visits, they often talk excitedly about sports, celebrating and appreciating the positive aspects of life. John keeps busy with experiences around the globe and is excited to add Crucial Catch to his list of adventures.

Pediatric cancer patient Nuri Al-Midani is not your typical 12-year-old. An exceptionally bright, multilingual, well-traveled foodie, he dreams of becoming an excellent chef like Gordon Ramsay, whom he would love to meet one day! His Cedars-Sinai Guerin children's oncologists Dr. Fataneh Majlessipour and Dr. Nicole Baca were excited to nominate him for this special experience and are following his Crucial Catch Captain journey closely.

Marie C. Zoutomou-Quintanilla had a triumphant 12-year journey as a breast cancer survivor. Marie stands as an inspiration to many. She is an eloquent speaker and accomplished author who has poured her resilience into supporting others. 

Marie's journey with the American Cancer Society (ACS) began when she was seeking resources as a patient. Her query soon evolved into a powerful declaration, she wondered, "How can I make a difference?" Over the span of 12 years, Marie dedicated herself as a volunteer, answering calls, contributing to patient programs like Road to Recovery, and energetically participating in community fundraising endeavors like Relay for Life and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Marie's impact has been immeasurable. A compelling spokesperson at local events, she has utilized her voice to further the cause. Marie's commitment extends to fundraising efforts where she selflessly volunteers her time to engage with businesses and generate support with a proactive spirit. Beyond her philanthropic pursuits, Marie leads a vibrant life with her sports-loving family, all of whom passionately support the Rams.

Craig Vittitoe was sitting in his garage playing with his grandkids when he received a call telling him he had stage IV pancreatic cancer. When his grandkids left, he planned how he would react and deal with the devastating news. Upon assessing his life, he decided that he had been very blessed, living 70 years with almost no health issues, a wonderful marriage and four terrific children. He decided to do his best to have a positive attitude. His dad was a World War II fighter pilot and a Marine who died at 74 from pancreatic cancer. He is Craig's model of toughness and bravery.  

Craig started his treatment at Cedars-Sinai in July of 2021, and he said he was blessed to have Dr. Osipov as his oncologist. Craig has had 52 chemotherapy treatments and is thankful for every day he is here with my wife, kids and grandkids. "Life becomes more acute when you know that your days are numbered. I was active before I got cancer and have been able to continue to play pickleball, golf, water ski and snow ski," said Craig. Doing these things gives him something to look forward to and keeps his body healthy. He doesn't know where this fight against cancer will take him, but he will continue to look forward to each day.

Unfortunately, cancer is not new to Anthony (Tony) Draft, as it has touched his family at various stages of his life. He has experienced the losses of loved ones to lung cancer, colon cancer and then experienced prostate cancer firsthand. In 2007, as he was returning from a St. Louis Rams versus Tampa Bay game where his son, Chris Draft, was playing, he received word that his sister, Donna, passed away after her battle with a rare form of colon cancer. After he and his siblings were tested and cleared for the gene denoting that type of cancer, Tony was adamant that he would maintain his yearly check-ups to ensure early detection. Despite his efforts, on June 23, 2022, Tony's doctor noticed an extreme spike in his prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, which would indicate not only prostate cancer, but also that cancer had spread throughout his body. Over the next couple of months, Tony went through scans for every area of his body to determine if the cancer was continuing to spread. He then had to decide what type of treatment and timeline was best. Not wanting to miss any planned family activities and to procrastinate the inevitable, he delayed his decision. After multiple discussions with his team of doctors he decided to start hormone treatments to lower his PSA levels as well as targeted radiation treatments. On April 10, 2023, he began a regimen with targeted radiation five days a week and on May 17, he completed his radiation treatment. He is still on hormone treatments, but his PSA levels are minimal and he continues to be around to enjoy watching his sons and grandsons grow and thrive! He is thankful to the Rams and the American Cancer Society for recognizing the need for continued cancer research in all areas of cancer.

Jessica Isroelit was diagnosed with stage IV cancer at age 26. She initially thought the digestive issues and cramping were due to certain foods she was eating or a gynecological issue. She was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a pediatric cancer of the bone and soft tissue rarely found in people her age. The tumor was found in her colon and had spread to her liver. Jessica had to endure very intense chemotherapy treatment for 10 months that would require hospitalization and many blood transfusions. Sometimes, Jessica would attend her Cancer Support Community of Ventura County group meetings from her hospital bed. She is currently over a year out from her treatments and is in the "no evidence of disease" stage while getting scans every few months. She has returned to work and even recently traveled to Italy through EF Student Educational Tours. She has been a member of the Cancer Support Community's Young Adult Support Group for about two years. Her mother, Heather, also attends CSC's caregiver group. Jessica remains very positive and has an upbeat demeanor. Serving as the Team Captain for her CSC Hope Walk team, she led the effort to raise over $5,000 for the cause.

Alastair Jones has been coaching football for over 20 years, working with youth and high school athletes and is currently the head coach at Hollywood High School. In mid-February, he received a diagnosis that turned his life upside down. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and also faced the challenge of kidney failure. Despite these daunting circumstances, he's currently in the midst of a determined battle against cancer while simultaneously working to revive his kidneys. During his hospitalization his prostate specific antigen levels were alarmingly high, thankfully they have significantly improved. Coaching has taken on a new level of importance for Alastair. It's not just about the student's development as athletes, it's also about his own resilience and determination to overcome this challenging disease. Being there for young athletes allows him to draw strength from their passion and energy, which fuels his fight against cancer.