ABout us

Gladiator Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, was founded in 2021 by Eric and Leslie South. Eric was diagnosed with a grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) brain tumor in February 2021. Currently there is no known cure for GBM.

Sadly, Eric passed away in August 2023. Before that, he had undergone successful surgery in Nashville and was fortunate enough to be accepted into a clinical trial involving a combination of radiation and chemotherapy with the Oncology Team at the Brain and Spine Center at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. The clinical trial aligned specifically with the genetic markers of Eric’s tumor, allowing for a more customized, cutting edge approach to treatment. Eric went into his trial fighting like a gladiator and came out inspired to help others do the same. After a recurrence in 2022, Eric had a second surgery as part of a customized vaccine clinical trial at the University of California Los Angeles, and then back at home, continued treatment with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At Gladiator Project, we are honored to continue Eric’s fight in his memory.

Eric’s passion was helping others, particularly by connecting amazing people with other amazing people. That’s what Gladiator Project is all about: connecting brain cancer patients and their families with the support they need to fight and fundraising for research to find a cure.