Childhood Cancer Research Grant Given in Honor of New York Child

Latham, N.Y. (October 16, 2017) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder childhood cancer research grants, is proud to announce that a St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund created in honor of Ben Stowell, from Latham, N.Y., will support lifesaving childhood cancer research.

Since 2007, the Ben’s Green Drakkoman Hero Fund has raised more than $345,000. This year, two researchers were awarded grants through the support of the Hero Fund. Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, at Texas A&M University, was awarded $94,255 to support her research focused on developing a new drug that targets the cancer cells that spread throughout the body in patients with bone cancer.

Dr. Brenton Mar, at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was awarded $75,000 and will use this grant to study new vulnerabilities in leukemia models. His goal is to understand why they are essential to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and to determine their suitability for therapy.

“After Ben was diagnosed we found out how little research had been done. Ben was only 7 when he told us that someday he wanted to fund research so other kids didn’t have to go through what he was going through,” said Tim Stowell, Ben’s father. “St. Baldrick’s has allowed us to fulfill his dream. We are so happy to not only be funding research for osteosarcoma, but to also be funding a grant this year to support Dr. Mar’s research to find novel biological vulnerabilities. Ben would be proud.”

The Ben’s Green Drakkoman Hero Fund was created to honor the memory of forever 9-year-old Ben who battled an aggressive form of osteosarcoma. He lived life with courage and an inspiring determination to survive. The fund is named after the superhero he created, Green Drakkoman, whose archenemy is the Evil Alien. The analogy helped Ben understand what was happening in his body’s fight against cancer. His family continues Ben’s legacy with this fund, which supports osteosarcoma research.

A St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund is an ongoing way for friends, family members, or groups to donate or raise funds for a loved one. To learn more about the program visit the Hero Fund page.

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
As the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation believes that kids are special and deserve to be treated that way. St. Baldrick’s is leading the charge to take childhood back from cancer by funding the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts who are working to find cures and better treatments for all childhood cancers. Kids need treatments as unique as they are – and that starts with funding research just for them. Join us at StBaldricks.org to help support the best cancer treatments for kids.

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