Innovate GBM
About Us
Sunny’s Story: The Heart Behind Innovate GBM
On May 12, 2022, our lives changed forever. At Sutter Hospital in Davis, Sanam “Sunny”
Thukral was diagnosed with Grade IV glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)—an aggressive and
unrelenting brain cancer. The first doctor told us her tumor was inoperable. We were
devastated.
But that wouldn’t be the end of her story.
We kept pushing. Opinion after opinion, email after email, call after call—until we found hope.
UCLA offered a new path forward, and on June 1, 2022, Sunny had her first resection, removing nearly 90% of the tumor. She immediately began standard-of-care treatment: six months of chemotherapy and radiation. For a brief period, it worked. In January, her scans showed no tumor growth. We held onto that glimpse of remission.
But on June 29, 2023—Sunny’s 27th birthday—the tumor came back.
Still, she fought
She underwent a second resection on August 10 and began the personalized DCVax trial at
UCLA. When the tumor continued to progress, she looked beyond borders—turning to a
personalized neoantigen vaccine from CeCava in Germany. She traveled to Germany for her
doses in March, April, and May. Each trip brought hope. Each trip reminded us how fragmented
and inaccessible the glioblastoma treatment landscape really is.
Her Light, Her Fight, Her Legacy
Born on June 29, 1996, Sanam “Sunny” Thukral was the soul of the Thukral family—fierce,
radiant, and endlessly loving. Her presence lit up every room, and her signature dimples,
warmth, and wit left a lasting impression on everyone she met.
Sunny was a leader in every space she entered. As captain of her high school lacrosse team,
she led with grit, heart, and humility, guiding her team to back-to-back championships. She
proved her skills further when she made the Brine National Tournament team.
At the University of Miami, she balanced academic excellence with adventure—earning Dean’s
List honors while studying pre-veterinary sciences and even traveling to the Galápagos Islands
for wildlife research.
Her path continued at the prestigious UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where her
passion for animal care and her love for people came together. More than a student, she was a
source of joy, strength, and calm to her classmates, bringing humor and compassion even
during the most stressful moments.
In May 2022, Sunny was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)—a devastating,
aggressive brain cancer. But she met the diagnosis the same way she lived her life: head-on,
with courage, curiosity, and hope.
Even while undergoing the most intense therapies, Sunny gave back. She chronicled her
journey on TikTok, opening a window into her life not to gain sympathy, but to inspire strength.
Her voice became a beacon for thousands of patients and caregivers around the world,
reminding them they weren’t alone—and that even in the darkest of moments, light could still be
found.
Sunny passed away on November 21, 2024, but her legacy lives on. Her courage, her joy, her
honesty—they’ve become the foundation of something much bigger. She showed us what
resilience looks like. She built a community of hope. And now, through Innovate GBM, we carry
that mission forward.
Watch her journey: Sunny’s TikTok
Read her story: Business Insider Feature
Why Innovate GBM Was Born
Sunny’s journey taught us something brutal: information is scattered, options are unclear, and
time is not on your side. One hospital said her tumor was untreatable. Another saved her
life—for a while. Families facing GBM often live in a fog of confusion, desperate for answers and
direction.
Innovate GBM was founded to change that.
Our mission is to bring clarity, connection, and capital to the GBM ecosystem. We aim to unite
the critical nodes—physicians, companies, researchers, regulators, investors, and
advocates—so no family has to face this fight in isolation. By centralizing resources and
expanding access to innovation, we hope to give every patient the options, support, and hope
they deserve.
Sunny gave everything she had to others—her strength, her time, her smile. We carry her
legacy forward, not just in memory, but in action.
This is for Sanam.
This is for every patient like her.
This is Innovate GBM.