Press Releases

Press Release

Congress Passes $80 Million for Childhood Cancer Programs, Championed by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation

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March 11, 2022

• Press Release
• For Immediate Release
• Media Contact:
  • JoAnne Avelar
  • 626-792-8247 ext. 221
  • joanne.avelar@stbaldricks.org

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 11, 2022) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer grants, is pleased to see Congress specially set aside $80 million again for new childhood cancer programs, as included in the federal funding bill passed today. This funding agreement included $30 million to fully fund the Childhood Cancer STAR Act, the most comprehensive childhood cancer bill in history, for a fourth consecutive year, and $50 million to fund the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) for a third straight year.

“On behalf of the advocates, volunteers and donors of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and the kids and families we serve, I thank our lawmakers for making childhood cancer a priority,” said Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. “In these times of change and uncertainty, we deeply value this bipartisan commitment to fund important programs that are transforming the landscape of childhood cancer research.”

St. Baldrick’s Foundation advocates and volunteers were directly involved throughout the federal appropriations process to secure these resources. The St. Baldrick’s was invited to submit testimony to the House Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee for a second consecutive year to show the need for federal investments in childhood cancer research. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation also worked closely with allies in the childhood cancer community to share the community’s collective support for these programs, including the Alliance for Childhood Cancer. The Alliance for Childhood Cancer is a coalition of patient advocacy groups, healthcare professional societies and scientific organizations; the St. Baldrick’s Foundation serves as a co-chair of the Alliance.

“Thanks to consistent support for initiatives like the STAR Act and CCDI – and to the tireless effort of childhood cancer advocates – the federal investment in childhood cancer research has nearly doubled in recent years,” Ruddy said. “There is still more work to do to develop new, safe therapies for kids with cancer, but today’s news gives us all so much hope for the future. We look forward to working with our champions on Capitol Hill to give kids a lifetime beyond a cancer diagnosis.”

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation

Every 2 minutes, a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., 1 in 5 will not survive. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, is on a mission to give kids a lifetime by supporting the most promising research to find cures and better treatments for all childhood cancers. When you give to St. Baldrick’s, you don’t just give to one hospital – you support virtually every institution with the expertise to treat kids with cancer across the U.S. St. Baldrick’s ensures that children fighting cancer now — and those diagnosed in the future — will have access to the most cutting-edge treatment, by supporting every stage of research, from new ideas in the lab to the development of new therapies, to lifesaving clinical trials. Join us at StBaldricks.org and help #GiveKidsALifetime.