may, 2026

Lob the Ball fundraiser

to ace lobular Breast cancer

About

I’m Astrid. Lob the Ball is a fundraiser I started to combine my passion for tennis with my mission to help fund research for lobular cancer and educate women (and men!) about the importance of early detection.

I’m so glad you’re here and hope you’ll follow me in my journey to learn more about Lobular Breast Cancer and the importance of funding much-needed research for this understudied type of cancer.

What is lobular cancer?

Join me in my mission

In 2022, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In addition to tubular, ductal and mammary cancer, I found out one full year later that I also have Lobular Cancer.

Lobular cancer is seriously under-researched and hard to detect with current imaging technology. This deadly cancer has claimed the lives of my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and I am determined to find a way to help this cancer claiming anymore lives, including my own!

Why are we doing this?

Join me in my mission

Lob the Ball is a fundraiser I started to combine my passion for tennis with my mission to help fund research for lobular cancer and educate women (and men!) about the importance of early detection.

Who are we and what we do

Doctor Jorine

Hi, my name is Jorine Sanders and I’m a PhD student in the Derksen Lab. As lead researcher on project PEARL I am working on uncovering the mechanisms that cause the long-term “sleeping” or dormant phase of ILC cells — and what triggers them to “wake up” and start growing again.

In the lab, we’re developing tools to induce dormancy at will in tumor cell lines and ILC organoids. We’re developing genetic systems to study this process in detail and we’re currently running our first functional tests, which are already showing very promising results!

We’re also testing new drugs and drug combinations on ILC cells. Due to their specific genetic makeup, ILC cells respond differently to certain treatments compared to other types of breast cancer. Our goal is to find treatments that are better tailored to ILC.

When I am not working, I enjoy going for a run, cycling, trying new recipes or restaurants, traveling, and spending quality time with my friends and family.

Who are we and what we do

Doctor Patrick

My name is Patrick Derksen, professor of preclinical oncology and cancer biologist from the Netherlands. My work is dedicated to understanding how invasive and metastatic cancers develop and spread.

For more than 20 years, my research has focused on Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer (ILC) — a common yet often overlooked breast cancer subtype. Unlike other breast cancers, ILC usually does not form a lump, which makes it harder to detect during routine screening. Its tumor cells behave differently: they lose their ability to stick to neighboring cells, spread as single cells, grow very slowly, and can remain hidden in the body for years or even decades.

These unique features not only create major clinical challenges but also drive my scientific curiosity. With the support of Project PEARL, my team works to unravel these processes — aiming to better predict disease progression and to design more effective treatments for patients facing relapsed ILC.

Join us in advancing ILC research!

What happens to the money