Invest in a Child’s Future: St. Baldrick’s Foundation Calls for Increased Focus on Funding Pediatric Cancers

Activities and events planned for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

LOS ANGELES (September 1, 2015) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-powered charity dedicated to funding children’s cancer research, is recognizing National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with a number of activities planned throughout September. As the leading non-governmental funder of childhood cancer research grants, St. Baldrick’s is asking people to get involved by helping to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research.

“One in five kids with cancer will die in the first five years of diagnosis, and those that do survive face a lifetime of serious health issues caused by the toxicity of their cure,” said Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of St. Baldrick’s. “The American public wants kids with cancer to be a national health priority, but our leaders are leaving these kids behind with the lack of federal research funding. We are calling upon everyone to speak up about the need for increased childhood cancer research funding as well as to stand up in support of kids with cancer during this important month.”

Today, as part of the official kickoff for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, St. Baldrick’s will ring the opening bell at the NASDAQ Stock Market. St. Baldrick’s board members will be joined by researchers, as well as children and families directly affected by childhood cancer.

This month begins St. Baldrick’s first-ever advertising campaign including billboards in 25 cities that feature St. Baldrick’s Honored Kids, highlighting the message that the best return on investment is a child’s future. To reinforce the need to change the way pediatric cancer research is funded and how kids with cancer are treated, St. Baldrick’s has also released a series of animated 60-second videos highlighting the key issues and roadblocks that exist and stand in the way of kids receiving the best treatments and maintaining quality of life.

On September 18, St. Baldrick’s will play a key role in the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus in Washington, D.C. Danielle Leach, director of government relations and advocacy for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, will be speaking on the STAR Act, a bill that, if passed, will play an important role in treating and improving outcomes for kids with cancer.

St. Baldrick’s encourages others to lend their support by posting one of these photos and tagging @StBaldricks along with the hashtag #isupportCCAM.

In addition to the events above, St. Baldrick’s volunteers will host nearly 100 St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving events across the country. To find an event near you or to organize your own event, visit http://www.stbaldricks.org/events.

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-powered charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. Since 2005, St. Baldrick’s has awarded more than $176 million to support lifesaving research, making the Foundation the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants. For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.

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