Cush it to the Limit is a federally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit. Our mission is to accelerate treatment options and ultimately find a cure for rare T-Cell Lymphomas (TCLs) and other blood cancers. With the hard work of our dedicated partners and the support of our volunteer staff, we make sure the majority of every dollar donated supports our mission and our research grant program at The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
How We Started
Cush it to the Limit was founded by Ben “Big Cat” Cushing and friends in 2017. Ben was a freshman at Washington State University when he was diagnosed with hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of lymphoma typically affecting young people in their second or third decade of life. Ben left school to embark on a short, courageous fight to conquer his cancer. With the heartbreaking knowledge that HSTCL received very little research attention, and therefore funding, he and friends launched CITTL. Ben’s mission was clear from the start, he wanted to make sure that the next kid with a similarly devasting diagnosis would have more treatment options than he had. Despite multiple rounds of debilitating chemotherapy, Ben’s lymphoma was not curable. He died 9-months after receiving his diagnosis.
We continue Ben’s fight. Our fundraising efforts started in 2017 when bright green wristbands were sold by Ben and his friends in both their home community of Sammamish, WA and in their respective universities. Our mission quickly expanded to social media and to hosting fun, community minded events. Our first fundraiser in 2017 was held at MOD Pizza in Sammamish, WA where we were inspired by the generous people who turned out for our cause. It wasn’t long before we were running additional fundraising events and planning our first Ben “Big Cat” Cushing” Golf Tournament. The tournament is now in its 6th year. With the generosity of our donors, CITTL has raised over four hundred thousand dollars for cancer research.
Who we work with
Since the beginning, Cush it to the Limit has partnered with UW Medicine and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA to fund research in t-cell lymphoma (TCL) and other rare blood cancers. Our initial point of contact at the UW/Fred Hutch/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance was Dr. Andrei Shustov, one of the leading authorities on T-Cell Lymphoma. Dr Shustov was also Ben Cushing’s Hematologist. Dr. Shustov left UW and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in 2022 but we continue to deepen our partnership with Fred Hutch. In 2022, The Hutch merged with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance to bring research and clinical care under one umbrella organization. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center unites innovative research and patient care to prevent and treat cancer and infectious disease. The Hutch and it’s integral relationship with UW Medicine is one of the world's leading integrated health systems. In 2022 Fred Hutch and CITTL partnered to create the CITTL: Ben Cushing Research Grant, providing funding for innovative, targeted lymphoma research projects. Since that time, we have awarded 5-grants.
