Callan Spence: Survivor. Driver. Relentless Advocate.
Callan Spence isn’t waiting for progress—he’s chasing it down at full speed.
At 20 years old, Callan is already a two-time synovial sarcoma fighter. But to see him now—helmet on, strapping into a 1,000-horsepower Lotus Exige—you’d never guess that this young man was once told he might not survive high school.
In 2021, at just 16, Callan was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma. His tumor was massive and dangerously close to his spine. Doctors initially told his family the cancer was inoperable and advised them to consider palliative care. Callan and his family refused to accept that course. They pushed for advanced care and found it at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where a team of six surgeons performed a 10-hour operation following rounds of chemotherapy and proton radiation.
After a long and difficult recovery, Callan was declared NED—no evidence of disease—in October 2022.
He and his family soon founded Black Flag Sarcoma Racing, a grassroots motorsports team built not just for speed, but for visibility. Their mission: to give synovial sarcoma a louder voice, create urgency for better treatments, and to turn passion into impact.
“Callan represents everything this foundation stands for,” said Nathan Imperiale, Chairman of the Board for the Synovial Sarcoma Foundation. “He’s pushing the science forward, building a louder voice for patients, and living life boldly while doing it.”
Callan is currently undergoing treatment for a recurrence of synovial sarcoma. And still—he races.
At this year’s Super Lap Battle 2025 at Circuit of The Americas, Callan delivered a headline-making performance. He broke a class record and finished second overall in his division—an extraordinary accomplishment, especially while undergoing active treatment.
During the weekend, the Black Flag Sarcoma Racing pit area transformed into something much more than a garage. It became a hub of community and connection. Hundreds of families stopped by to meet Callan, share stories, and—for the youngest visitors—experience the thrill of sitting in his race car. The excitement, joy, and solidarity were undeniable.
Also present was Joey Toro, a fellow synovial sarcoma patient, advocate, and active member of the Foundation’s community. Joey joined Callan at the track to show support and represent the powerful network of patients and families that continues to grow around this cause.The Black Flag car itself, developed with FASTx Autosport, prominently features the molecular structure of TumorGlow—a fluorescent imaging technology developed by Dr. Sunil Singhal at Penn Medicine that helps surgeons identify and remove cancerous tissue using near-infrared light. A key component of that technology is indocyanine green (ICG), a fluorescent dye produced by Diagnostic Green and already widely used in other surgical applications. What’s never been done—until now—is to study its potential in children and young adults with sarcoma.
Through the Synovial Sarcoma Foundation—born out of the Spence Family Fund—Callan and his family are helping launch a groundbreaking clinical trial at CHOP to test TumorGlow specifically for sarcoma. The goal is clear: give surgeons better tools, and give patients better outcomes.
Black Flag Sarcoma Racing is more than a team—it’s a movement. And Callan is more than a driver—he’s living proof that advocacy, community, and scientific momentum can go hand in hand, even in the face of a rare and relentless disease.
Follow his journey on instagram: @blackflagsarcomaracing
