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

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 21, 2020) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, is pleased to see $80 million was once again specially set aside for new childhood cancer research initiatives in the federal funding bill that Congress 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 third consecutive year, and $50 million to fund the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) for a second year.

“On behalf of the donors and volunteers of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and the kids and families we serve, I commend our lawmakers for prioritizing childhood cancer research,” said Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. “Despite the challenges of this unprecedented year, we appreciate this commitment to do more for kids facing a cancer diagnosis and for childhood cancer survivors. Childhood cancer has not stopped or slowed down this year, and we are grateful for the continued investment in lifesaving research.”

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation advocated at every step of the appropriations process to secure this funding increase. This spring, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation was also invited to submit testimony to the House Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee to demonstrate the need for this funding increase. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation also worked closely with allies in the childhood cancer community, including the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, to share the community’s collective support for these resources. 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 greater advocacy and awareness, and support for initiatives like the STAR Act and CCDI, the federal investment in childhood cancer research has nearly doubled in recent years,” Ruddy said. “We have much more work to do to develop new, safe therapies for kids with cancer, but today’s news gives us so much hope. 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 institution – 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 life-saving clinical trials. Join us at StBaldricks.org and help #GiveKidsaLifetime.

###