Earlier this week we shared childhood cancer statistics and ideas of how your institution can get involved in supporting the cause. In order to do so, you will need the help and partnership of a local or national non-profit organization. Today, we are highlighting four non-profits that are making a huge impact in the fight against childhood cancer and that can help with your community outreach program.
Several non-profit organizations support childhood cancer-related research and patient support services as part of their larger mission. (Make-A-Wish is a great example. They provide memorable experiences for childhood cancer patients, but they serve children suffering from a wide variety of severe illnesses and disease.)
The four non-profits listed below dedicate 100% of their efforts to supporting childhood cancer and would be a great partner in your awareness efforts.
St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. St. Jude’s mission to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment, as stated on their website. Thanks largely to individual donations to the hospital, no child is denied treatment based a family’s ability to pay.
2. Go Gold Fund
The Go Gold Fund was founded by Mike and Angela Dina who were inspired by their son, Charlie, a childhood cancer survivor who as diagnosed with stage-4 neuroblastoma at age four. Go Gold was created to provoke, inspire, incite, combat and transform the current landscape of childhood cancer by wearing gold and raising awareness of childhood cancer and increasing funding for the cause.
CURE Childhood Cancer was founded in 1975 by Emory University’s first pediatric oncologist, Dr. Abdel Rabab. The non-profit funds the work of some of the most talented scientists in the field of pediatric cancer, supports the training of future pediatric oncologists and researchers who will be instrumental in carrying on important studies and research efforts and offers programs addressing the critical and urgent needs of patients and their families.
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-powered charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and known for its head-shaving. “Shavees” sign up on the website, collect money from friends and family much like a walk-a-thon, and show up at a volunteer-organized event in their community to take their turn in the barber’s chair. More than 1,300 events were held in 2013.
For additional non-profits dedicated to fighting childhood cancer, visit this listprovided by the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus.