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 CancerFree KIDS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening
illness in children. Their mission is driven by the belief that funding research is the means to finding a cure for pediatric
cancer. It also supports the belief that research of childhood
cancers has and will continue to contribute significantly to the research of all types of cancers, including adult cancers,
and that it should be funded accordingly. In early 2003 CancerFree KIDS received its 501(c)3 non-profit organization status and since
then has partnered with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center (CCHMC) to award research grants towards children’s
cancer research. Since 2003 CancerFree KIDS has granted over one million dollars towards research grants. The Director of the National Cancer Institute has
said, “We can now say with certainty we know the road to take, the only question is the speed at which we proceed along
that road.” In other words, curing cancer is no longer the impossible dream. It is simply a matter of money - enough money to continue research in the labs, to translate that
research in clinical trials, and to bring the treatments to the general public so that everyone can benefit. This research
benefits not only children, but also adults with cancer. All of
the vast improvements in the way we diagnose, treat and cure cancers have come as the result of research, and money is needed
to continue down the path with increased speed.
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FACTS ABOUT CHILDHOOD CANCER Cancer kills more children than cystic fibrosis,
muscular dystrophy, AIDS, asthma and juvenile diabetes combined.1 Cancer is still the leading cause of death from disease among U.S. children over one year
of age.2 More than 12,500 young people are diagnosed with cancer every year.2 Each year 2,300 children and teenagers die from cancer.2 36 children a day
are diagnosed with cancer.2 1 in 4 elementary schools has a child with cancer.2 1 in every 330 Americans
will develop cancer before the age of 20.2 Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15.2 The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown.2 Childhood cancer
occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.2 In the United States, the incidence of cancer amoung adolescents and young adults is increasing at a greater rate than
any other age group, except those over 65.2 Although cure rates have increased
to 80% from 35% over the last twenty years, childhood cancer is vastly under funded.2 The
10 most common types of childhood cancer are as follows3: Leukemia (acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia) CNS, brain, and spinal cord tumors Lymphomas, (including Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma) Skin cancer and melanomaso
Soft tissue tumors (including
rhabdomyosarcoma) Germ cell tumors Neuroblastoma Bone cancers (including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma) Renal cancer (including Wilms tumor) Retinoblastoma
1. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention 2. National Cancer Institute 3. Surveillance Epidemiology
and End Results/National Cancer Institute
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YOUR
HELP CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE While
these national organizations do so much to raise funds and awareness for cancer research, education and support, the truth
is, so little goes to pediatric cancer research NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE: it's your tax dollars at work. Over
the past five years, it has only directed between 3.6 and 4.0% of its total budget, an average of $176 million/year, to pediatric
cancer. AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: In 2010 directed $0.01
(a penny) to childhood cancer research for every dollar of public support. (Total expenses: $951,123,000 and total directed at childhood cancer research: $11,900,000. Source:ACS) LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY: directed $0.02 to childhood cancer
research for every dollar of public support. (Total public support: $287,625,000 and total directed at childhood cancer research: almost $6,000,000. Source LLS)
xxPrivate funding is
essential to continued efforts in advancing pediatric cancer research! Be sure to support organizations,
programs and events focused on childhood cancer research fundraising.
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