Run for the Rose

Photos courtesy of Amalia Guardiola, MD/Department of Pediatrics

McGovern Medical School students in the Rose Society participate in the 21st Annual Run for the Rose March 30 at TMC3 Helix Park. Amalia Guardiola, MD, serves as the leader of the Rose Society at McGovern Medical School.

Run for the Rose supports cutting-edge research and treatment for children with brain tumors at McGovern Medical School. Additionally, Run for the Rose helps with neuroscience research initiatives at the Pediatric Palliative Care Program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and with immunotherapy research, new drug development, and clinical trials for patients with brain cancer at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Marnie Rose was just 27 years old and in the first year of her pediatric medical residency at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital when she was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. Despite her diagnosis, she agreed to share all – her cancer journey, personal life, and professional duties as a medical resident – with a local TV crew from the ABC reality series Houston Medical.

In the show’s debut episode, Rose stunned viewers by pulling off her wig, revealing that she was both a doctor and a patient. Throughout the run of Houston Medical, viewers were awed by her determination to keep working despite her illness, her candor about her disease, and her positive attitude in the face of adversity.

Rose died on Aug. 23, 2002, from complications of her cancer, just five weeks after the show’s final episode. Since 2003, donors have given almost $7 million to brain cancer research in honor of Rose.

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