Childhood Cancer Research Grant Awarded to American Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology

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Traci Shirk
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Childhood Cancer Research Grant Awarded to American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

St. Baldrick’s Foundation awards $18,932 to help children with cancer

BOSTON (February 6, 2012) – It takes life-saving research and access to clinical trials to help children with cancer. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, awarded an infrastructure grant of $18,932 to the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO). The Foundation’s infrastructure grants provide institutions with resources to enable them to conduct more research and enroll more kids in ongoing clinical trials – their best hope for a cure.

Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and it remains the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States. With only 4 percent of all federal cancer research funding dedicated to pediatric cancer research, and more than 70 percent of children receiving treatment through clinical trials, St. Baldrick’s Foundation infrastructure grants are critical to finding cures for all childhood cancers.

The grant will support a project entitled “Education in Humanism and Professionalism for Pediatric Oncology Fellows.” The project seeks to measure pediatric hematology/oncology fellows’ educational gaps with regard to training in humanism and professionalism, and their perceived need for more training about death and dying, bereavement, difficult patients, angry patients, medical errors and coping with the demands of fellowship. Based on these data, researchers will develop a novel curriculum in humanism and professionalism that can be implemented within six pilot fellowship programs.

“We are very grateful to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for their support that will enable us to develop a needs-based curriculum in Humanism and Professionalism for Pediatric Oncology Fellows,” said Jennifer Kesselheim, M.D., ASPHO Training Committee member.

The infrastructure grants, combined with the more than $19.6 million awarded in June, bring the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s funding total to more than $21 million awarded in 2011. Infrastructure grants were awarded based on the philanthropic need of the institution and its patients, anticipated results of the grant and local participation in St. Baldrick’s events.

“It’s been amazing to be part of such an incredible organization helping kids,” said Mike Anello, St. Baldrick’s volunteer event organizer for the Boston event. “If you’ve never been to a St. Baldrick’s event, find one. You’ll be amazed at how a 4-year-old going through so much can still light up a room with their smile from ear to ear.”

Everyone can do their part to support St. Baldrick’s! To locate or organize an event in your community, sign-up to shave, donate or volunteer, visit www.StBaldricks.org. You can also become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, join our letsCONQUER movement and visit the Foundation’s YouTube and Vimeo channels.

About the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. The Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, a child’s best hope for a cure. Since the Foundation’s first grants as an independent charity in 2005, St. Baldrick’s has funded more than $78 million in childhood cancer research. For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.