Mission Statement
The legacy and memory of Chris Sakelakos’ courageous battle against Osteosarcoma inspired the Sak Strong Foundation which is dedicated to raising awareness and advancing medical research for Osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Chris was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in May 2024, and valiantly and bravely endured many surgeries, various combinations of chemotherapy and many other medical interventions; the cancer unfortunately metastasized and traveled to his lungs, ending his time on earth on September 16, 2025.
Our mission is to fund innovative research that drives medical advancements for this understudied and complicated disease. It is our hope that we can have a hand in improving early detection of disease, and effective treatment that encourages a more promising outcome. In addition, the foundation will fund an annual scholarship to a deserving graduate at Lynnfield High School, as Chris taught and coached there for many years. We envision a future where no family faces Osteosarcoma alone — where hope, resilience, and progress unite to bring better outcomes and ultimately, a cure. Rooted in compassion, transparency, and collaboration, Sak Strong Foundation strives to build a strong, supportive community empowered by strength and solidarity in the face of Osteosarcoma.
About Chris
Christopher (Chris) Sakelakos, aka Sak to many, grew up in Peabody, MA with his mom, dad, brother and sister. He was an active child who was involved in many sports, such as Peabody Little League, Babe Ruth, Pop Warner football, CYO basketball, and Peabody Youth Soccer. From there his love of sports continued, and he was the captain of the varsity basketball team and played varsity football for Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, and went on to play football for Bowdoin College as tight end.
Chris’ life was rooted in movement and community through teaching and coaching. Chris taught mathematics at Salem High School, and for even longer at Lynnfield High School. He coached football in Salem and Lynnfield for many years, and basketball at St. John’s Prep. Chris had a few other tricks up his sleeve, just to name a few, when he wasn’t teaching or coaching, you could find him working for his family’s plumbing business as an apprentice plumber, hitting balls on the golf course, playing basketball with his pals, running road races, meeting up with friends at his favorite watering hole, putting around on his family’s boat in Maine and of course spending time with the people he loved.
His most prideful role in life was as a family man, and rightfully so, because he was the best husband, dad, son, brother, friend and overall person anyone could think of. If he thought he was active before, his two little girls kept him moving and grooving at all times. Chris adored his family, and was the kind of guy who would often put his family’s needs before his own. He was the ultimate girl dad, and was always down to have tea parties, give piggy back rides, spend hours in an arcade with the kids, find cool adventures to take everyone on, have picnics by the water, and so much more. The list could go on forever, because he was basically our everything.
When Chris got sick in 2024, a series of scans and tests led to the devastating discovery that he had Osteosarcoma in his left knee. Even the diagnostic process was complicated—his biopsy was inconclusive because the tumor had calcified before the lab could obtain the material needed for a clear diagnosis. Ultimately, Chris underwent a major surgery to remove the tumor. His knee and half of his tibia were replaced with an internal prosthetic limb. He spent the spring and summer recovering from that life-altering procedure, showing incredible strength and grit every step of the way.
Later that summer, Chris began aggressive chemotherapy. The treatments took a heavy toll on his body. Due to the side effects and other health complications, his care team had to adjust his chemotherapy multiple times. Some treatments required him to stay in the hospital for up to a week at a time away from his family, and others were administered as outpatient visits or oral medications at home. Despite the chemotherapy and other medical procedures, the cancer returned. It reappeared in the soft tissue of his knee and eventually spread to his lungs.
Chris’ battle with Osteosarcoma came to an end on September 16, 2025, when he passed away surrounded by his family, after fighting with extraordinary courage and strength. Throughout his journey, Chris never lost hope. His resilience and commitment to treatment never wavered. No one should have to endure what Chris went through, and no family should have to experience the pain of standing beside a loved one through it. Our mission is to change that; it’s time to make real progress against Osteosarcoma. We need earlier and more accurate detection, treatments that fight the disease without devastating the rest of the body, and ultimately, a cure.
For more than 40 years, research and funding for Osteosarcoma have remained limited. That has to change. We owe it to Chris, and to every patient and family facing this diagnosis, to push for better answers, better care and real hope for the future.
About Osteosarcoma
According to the American Cancer Association Osteosarcoma is a rare bone cancer that makes up 2-3% of childhood cancers, and make up an even smaller percentage in adults each year. To dive deeper into the history of treatment, the Osteosarcoma Institute discusses the lack of improvement in outcomes for Osteosarcoma patients over the last 40 years. While Osteosarcoma is a very complex and uncooperative disease that has been hard to cure, new concepts and expensive technologies are needed for treatment advancement. Prior to the 1970’s the treatment for this cancer was to treat it locally and amputate, while after doing that 80% still died of metastatic disease spread to the lungs. In the 70’s chemotherapy agents were investigated and tested on patients. In 1980’s the first study was performed looking at patients who had the tumor resected (removed) followed by aggressive chemotherapy (often so aggressive that it causes other health issues in its wake), which has remained standard practice to this day. To be clear, there have been no new drugs approved for use in osteosarcoma patients in over 40 years.
Brilliant scientists, doctors, and individuals in the medical field are working on new clinical trials for Osteosarcoma; focusing on various treatment approaches like immunotherapy agents, combination therapies and targeted drugs. The goal of these studies is to improve survival rates in both pediatric and adult patients. While these advancements bring hope and optimism to a devastating disease, the funding to run these trials is costly, and requires funding. Please consider donating to The Sak Strong Foundation, as we are funding specific research that is working toward improving identification of disease, treatment, and hopefully one day, a cure for Osteosarcoma.
References:
Osteosarcoma. (n.d.). American Cancer Society.https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/osteosarcoma.html
Osi. (2023, May 4). A brief history of osteosarcoma treatment. Osteosarcoma Institute. https://osinst.org/blog/a-brief-history-of-osteosarcoma-treatment/
Awareness + Research
We raise funds to support medical advancements in Osteosarcoma and sarcoma research, pushing toward better treatments and better outcomes.
Scholarship Fund
Each May, we award a scholarship at Lynnfield High School in Chris’s honor, supporting students who demonstrate strength, compassion, and dedication to their community.
Leadership
Christina Sakelakos, President
Mark Sakelakos, Vice President
What’s Ahead
From community events to annual fundraisers, we’re building a strong foundation for long-term impact. As we grow, we will expand our support programs and deepen our commitment to research and awareness.