OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKER RECEIVES AWARD FOR INNOVATION
Unthinkable.
That’s how Dr. Olivier Ayrault described the loss of two school friends to cancer when he was growing up. The experience left an indelible imprint on him and he believes set his course in life to do something to fight cancer.
What You Should Know About Research into Rare Pediatric Cancers
Rare Cancer Day is September 30th, but the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fights rare cancers year-round.
What is rare disease?
When it comes to cancer, or even diseases as a whole, “rare” is a misleading word.
A rare disease is defined as “any disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States, or about 1 in 1,500 people.” About 72% of rare diseases are genetic, and of those, 70% start in childhood.
Worldwide, people with rare diseases make up less than 6% of the population. But more than 6,000 rare diseases have been identified so far, and they affect more than 300 million around the world. If these people were a country, they would be the world’s third largest nation.
The Impact of the Dream Team on Childhood Cancers: A Video
The St. Baldrick’s — Stand Up To Cancer Pediatric Dream Team’s innovative and collaborative approach to science is making huge impacts in the world of childhood cancer research.
Patient Advocates – A Dream Team Video
Patient advocates play a vital role in the St. Baldrick’s — Stand Up To Cancer Pediatric Dream Team.
Patient advocates help to put a face on childhood cancer research. They humanize why the research is so critically important and translate that incredible work into language that’s more easily understood. Many are parents of kids who have fought cancer and one is a survivor herself. All are working to see the day when no family has to endure what they have.
Join us today and #DFYchildhoodCancers!
Read more on the St. Baldrick’s blog:
Proud To Be – A Dream Team Video
Researchers and patient advocates are proud to be part of the St. Baldrick’s – Stand Up To Cancer Pediatric Dream Team. Proud to be part of a collaboration to conquer childhood cancers.
The work the Dream Team is doing offers hope to children with cancer and their families and we’re closer than ever to finding cures. Not only has the Dream Team propelled ground-breaking cell therapies for blood cancers, it’s also making great progress towards the tougher challenge – helping kids with solid tumors. St. Baldrick’s supporters can be proud of this work that is already saving lives.
Join us today and #DFYchildhoodCancers!
Read more on the St. Baldrick’s blog:
What is the Dream Team? – A Dream Team Video
The St. Baldrick’s – Stand Up To Cancer Pediatric Dream Team is doing science differently to cure the incurable.
ANNOUNCING ST. BALDRICK’S JULY 2020 GRANTS
This is it! You — St. Baldrick’s donors and participants — have poured your passion into funding childhood cancer research, even in difficult times like these. And because of you, today we all celebrate the biggest batch of new grants of the year.
This new investment of $12.9 million brings the total granted by St. Baldrick’s for research since 2005 to more than $300 million.
The 53 grants include new funding for 18 Research Grants, 5 Supportive Care Research Grants, 9 St. Baldrick’s Scholars, and 1 International Scholar from India. Also receiving new funding for projects already underway are 7 St. Baldrick’s Scholars, 2 International Scholar from Kenya, 8 team science projects (Consortium grants), 1 St. Baldrick’s Innovation Award and 1 Strategic Initiative.
DR. ERIC RAABE VS. PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMORS
With a long history of support from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Dr. Eric Raabe of Johns Hopkins University is a “Rockstar Researcher” in pediatric brain tumors.
As an undergraduate student, Dr. Raabe volunteered at a children’s hospital where a pivotal moment influenced his decision to become a pediatric oncologist. He vividly remembers a young boy who had relapsed and was being hospitalized after having one of his lymph nodes biopsied. The boy sat alone in his room with the shades down. In the dark room the boy became more and more withdrawn as he sat and waited for the results. He thought he was going to die.
No sooner had the results come back negative for recurrence of his cancer, than the blinds went up and he wanted a pizza with everything on it. The experience left a lasting impression and prompted Dr. Raabe’s decision to become a pediatric physician scientist. In that moment he realized the impact he could make in a scared and sick child’s life. He decided then and there that he wanted to be part of providing a path to hope and a path to a cure. He wanted to help guide these children from the darkness to a place of hope and light.
Dream Team News: Progress in a Deadly Pediatric Brain Tumor
The Science of Self Defense
One goal of science and research is to make the impossible, possible. So, what if we could train the body to fight off cancer itself? To ferociously attack what is attacking it. It would be a game changer and that’s exactly the kind of revolutionary research St. Baldrick’s supporters are making possible through the St. Baldrick’s – Stand Up to Cancer Pediatric Dream Team.
One of the Dream Team’s research studies was so important, it was recently featured on the cover of the prestigious scientific journal, Nature Medicine. The article outlines new advances to train immune cells in pediatric patients to target deadly brain tumors known as atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRT tumors). These tumors develop in babies and toddlers, who currently only survive an average of 17 months.
An Extraordinary Legacy Continues
The entire childhood cancer community knew that when it came to honoring the legacy of Robert J. Arceci, M.D., Ph.D., only something extraordinary would do.
Known for thinking outside the box and his passion for finding cures, Bob was something of a Renaissance man – treating patients, conducting lab research, editing research publications, creating a PBS documentary on childhood, serving as board member and chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee for St. Baldrick’s and much more.
Robert J. Arceci Innovation Award recipient, Dr. Paul A. Northcott of St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalOlder Posts »
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