Imagine your child fighting for his life, taking massive doses of highly toxic radiation, chemotherapy to kill the cancer in his body before it kills him. After years of pain and uncertainty, he beats the disease, only to find out that he will likely develop serious medical conditions related to the treatment that saved him.
While survival rates are up for some types of pediatric cancer, for more than half who beat the odds and proudly call themselves “survivors,” the fight is not over. (more…)
At age five, some kids have won pee-wee sports championships or perhaps a class spelling bee, but for Luke Fochtman of Okemos, Mich., his fifth birthday marked his victory over a much larger foe — in a life-or-death battle with childhood cancer, Luke has come out on top.
“Through 72 weeks of treatment, chemotherapy, 105 fevers, he never said ‘no’ to us,” says Luke’s mom Monica Fochtman, 36. “That to me was very inspiring and humbling. (more…)
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: At Union Station from 5 to 9 p.m., 46 mothers of children with cancer are shaving their heads to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer research. (46 is the number of mothers in the U.S. who are told each weekday that their child has cancer.) Tomorrow, the bald moms head to the Hill, lobbying for the Creating Hope Act, which is to be introduced Friday to address the funding gap for pediatric cancer and rare diseases. www.kidsvcancer.org (more…)
It takes 46 Mommas in Washington, D.C., to Conquer Kids’ Cancer! The St. Baldrick’s Foundation announces the second annual 46 Mommas: Shave for the Brave event taking place at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, September 21st from 5-‐9pm.
Then, on Thursday, September 22nd, the 46 Mommas will take to Capitol Hill to lobby their Members of Congress for the Creating Hope Act, championed by Kids v Cancer, to create market incentives for childhood cancer drug development. (more…)
I’m pleased to announce that President Obama issued a proclamation declaring September,2011 to be National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Awareness for pediatric cancer is increasing, as President Obama states, “Across America, thousands of courageous children fight pediatric cancer each year, facing life-threatening battles that would challenge men and women of any age.” (more…)
Julian Greenberg, a good friend of Jacob’s, played harmonica in Central Park this summer to raise money for Kids v Cancer as his Mitzvah community service project.
Many people stopped to read the Kids v Cancer materials Julian made available, so they learned something about our fight against pediatric cancer and got to hear some great music as well!
We are proud of his hard work and are so appreciative of the awareness and funds he raised for the cause.
The Creating Hope Act will provide market incentives to pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs for pediatric rare diseases at no cost to the taxpayer
The Creating Hope Act will encourage the creation of new drugs for under-served children who suffer from serious and rare medical conditions, including life-threatening cancers, by providing a voucher to pharmaceutical companies who develop such drugs. This voucher could be used to secure expedited FDA approval for any other drug – particularly a blockbuster drug – so that that drug could be delivered to market faster.
