Action Alert
Your help is Needed to support full funding for Childhood Cancer Research - Call Now!!

Congress passed the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act in 2008. It has not yet received any funding.

The House of Representatives has included funding in their version of the Labor Health and Human Services Appropriation bill as a first step to partially fund the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. The Labor Health and Human Services Appropriation bill is now in conference so the House and Senate can agree on a final bill to send to the President.

Call your members of Congress today!! The time is now; they have an opportunity to do the right thing and support funding for the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. Let your Representative and Senators know that this funding is critical to sustaining pediatric research efforts across the country. With your help, more money can be allocated to research, leading us to break-through treatments for the thousands of children who are diagnosed with cancer each year. Research to cure childhood cancer is at stake if it is not included in this years appropriation bills.

Visit http://capwiz.com/curesearch/home/ to find your Senators and Representative, click on Your Help is Needed.

Clyde cancer cluster young victim’s parents ask Congress to fund new act

Yesterday was busy for Wendy and Warren Brown.

The Sandusky County couple were making the rounds in Washington, talking to members of Congress or their staffers about the cancer cluster in the vicinity of Clyde.

The couple lost their daughter, Alexa, 11, to cancer in August.

Mr. Brown said they are in Washington to do what they can to ensure the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, which became law in July, 2008, receives its authorized $30 million in annual funding.

Yesterday they met in person with Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green), and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) and with aides of Sens. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.), Arlen Specter (D., Pa.), Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.).

“It’s been a long day, but it’s been very worthwhile,” said Mr. Brown, who is Sandusky County clerk of courts. “Has anyone committed to saying the $30 million will be there? No. Are there some intimations the money will be there? I would say yes.”

Today the Browns are scheduled to meet in person or with representatives of Sens. Thad Cochran (R., Miss.), Tom Harkin (D., Iowa), Daniel Inouye (D., Hawaii), and Mary Landrieu (D., La.).

Last week, state environmental and health officials acknowledged they were no closer to determining the cancer cluster’s cause and stated in a report they may never know what the cause is.

The report listed trace amounts of pollutants detected but showed nothing that would raise a red flag. Pollutants in water wells, public water supplies, air, and soil were found at levels within U.S. Environmental Protection Agency safety guidelines.

The Ohio EPA will continue taking air samples through 2009 and will produce a report based on water sampling from streams this year. The Ohio Department of Health will continue with research into the area’s birth weights, infant mortality, and other reproductive outcomes.

"How did the leading killers end up at the bottom of the global health agenda? I don't know."

...sounds familiar eh?....

"nobody knows"?!?......whew.

"Tell me everything will be OK if I just stay on my knees and keep praying, believing in something
Tell me everything is all taken care of by those qualified to take care of it all."

St. Baldrick’s Foundation Exciting Grants Update

where the money goes

As you know, we shave heads to honor kids with cancer by raising awareness and funds. But the most important thing we can do to honor them is to fund research to save lives – now and in years to come. So in honor of all children with cancer, we wanted to take a minute to let you know about some grants we are currently funding that might be of special interest to you.

In 2009, St. Baldrick’s supporters have made possible more than $12 million in pediatric oncology research grants.

There were 12 recipients of the fall infrastructure grants, which are designed to provide institutions with resources to make more research possible and treat more kids on clinical trials, their best hope for a cure. In June, the foundation also funded 10 new and 13 continuing St. Baldrick’s Fellows; 9 new and 12 continuing St. Baldrick’s Scholars, and 16 other grants for research projects. In all, 72 grants were made in 2009, focusing on finding cures for childhood cancers and improving the lives of patients and survivors.

Applications for spring 2010 grants will be available in mid-January.

for more information

Visit StBaldricks.org or contact Jane Hoppen at Jane@StBaldricks.org or 919-341-0507 to learn how you can help Shave the Way to Conquer Kids’ Cancer!