Every three minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer;  A daunting statistic. My three minutes came in August of 1995 when my daughter Jackie, then an otherwise healthy 3 1/2 year old was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. She was given a "poor prognosis" and told that there was a 5 per cent chance that she would survive.

But, thanks to cancer research, Jackie was entered into a clinical trial. Basically the researchers were working on ways to treat this disease and needed to test their treatments. The protocol that they came up with included numerous doses of chemotherapy, followed by surgery, followed by radiation and then a bone marrow transplant.

Jackie was one of the lucky ones who made it through the treatments and for the past twenty years has been a survivor.

Today, twenty years later, the survival rate for poor prognosis Neuroblastoma is around 50%. A lot better that the 5% but a long way from the only acceptable number ---100%

The only way to make sure that we get to that goal is by funding cancer research. Jackie was lucky. The treatment protocol worked in her case. Over the twenty years since out "3rd minute" researchers have developed new drugs and protocols to save more children with less long term residual effects of the treatment.

In order to help the St. Baldrick's Foundation raise funds to help assist researchers improve the survival rates for cancers like the one Jackie had, I have decided to participate in the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh fundraiser and on September 27th will shave my head ! 

Now I need your help! Will you make a donation? Every dollar makes a difference for the thousands of infants, children, teens, and young adults fighting childhood cancers.    Thank you ! ! !