Beauregard Foundation
The Patrick Beauregard Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to beating colorectal cancer, particularly among young adults under the age of 50.
The Patrick Beauregard Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to beating colorectal cancer, particularly among young adults under the age of 50.
The Patrick Beauregard Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to beating colorectal cancer, particularly among young adults under the age of 50.
The Foundation was founded by Amanda Beauregard, along with the support of family and close friends, in memory of her husband, Patrick Beauregard who died of young-onset colorectal cancer on September 6, 2020 at the age of 32. Patrick was first diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer in September 2017 one month after marrying Amanda. The diagnosis was a shock to Patrick and all who knew him. He was just 29 years old at the time, a United States Marine, the picture of health, and had no apparent risk factors.
Patrick’s three-year battle with colorectal cancer was awe-inspiring. He fought his disease with ferocity and courage. Patrick endured endless treatments, clinical trials, surgeries, and procedures with grace, humility, and a deep connection to his faith. He could have stopped there, but he didn’t. Patrick worked tirelessly as an advocate for awareness and research, striving to ensure that young-onset colorectal cancer received the attention of researchers, lawmakers, donors, and, most importantly, potentially at-risk individuals. He appeared on several news outlets, participated in numerous fundraising events, and met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. He also partnered with organizations across the country to call for better prevention, research, treatments, and care, and was instrumental in shaping and launching the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In both his personal battle and advocacy efforts, Patrick always remained positive and was a beacon of light. He lived by the mantra “Panda Power… Pray, Hope, Don’t Worry” – Panda an affectionate nickname that family and friends called Patrick and Amanda, and Pray, Hope, Don’t Worry borrowed from Saint Padre Pio, an Italian priest known for his piety and charity who was miraculously cured from cancer. It is this positive attitude and will to live that allowed Patrick to accomplish his final goal – meeting his son, Noah Patrick, who was born on July 10, 2020.
In memory of Patrick, the Foundation is committed to continuing his selfless and noble work to beat young-onset colorectal cancer. While decreasing in the older adult population, colorectal cancer rates have more than doubled among adults under the age of 50 since the 1990s. Moreover, young patients are more likely to be diagnosed with later-stage advanced disease. Still, the underlying causes of the disease and the uptick among young patients are unknown. Without immediate intervention, increases are projected to continue at high rates into the future. By 2030, if unchecked, colon cancer incidence is expected to double and rectal cancer incidence is expected to quadruple among the young adult population.
Faced with this landscape, our goal is to lead by Patrick’s example and provide young adults and their families with a roadmap of hope from discovery to recovery through education, advocacy, and collaboration. Specifically, the Foundation’s guiding principles are N.O.A.H., named after Patrick’s son:
Through these efforts, it is our hope that Patrick’s life-journey will be a legacy that will endure and save young lives into the future.