Welcome everyone to our fundraiser for Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC! Our fundraiser is taking place February 9, 2013 and is entitled "Sparkles of Hope." We created this fundraiser in order to fund pediatric cancer research, specifically for neuroblastoma. My child was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma in December, 2010. After three initial rounds of chemotherapy, we thought it was over, but just a short 9 months later, the cancer had returned with a vengeance, erupting into Stage 4 neuroblastoma. She has been undergoing grueling, but thus far successful treatment, thanks to the wonderful physicians, fantastic support staff and the latest in evidence-based medicine at Children's National.
Before my child was diagnosed, I was unaware of the desperate funding needs of pediatric cancer researchers. I have now become a reluctant "expert" on the subject. For instance, are you aware that there are only a handful of chemotherapy drugs that are approved by the FDA to treat pediatric cancer? Nearly all of my daughter's treatment has been considered investigational or experimental. As you can imagine, this does not provide any comfort in an already devastating situation. Currently, pediatric oncologists are doing their best by combining their research efforts through national organizations like the Children's Oncology Group. However, getting funding from these large organizations requires significant time and resources.
By funding research on a more local level, we will be able to get studies started more quickly and continue to disseminate the information globally through the Children's Oncology Group. My question to you would be, why wouldn't you consider participating in this amazing opportunity to help save kid's lives? I write to you with all the hope in the world that my child will be cured, but the best way to foster that hope is by funding future research for a cure. I hope you will join my family and Children's National Medical Center in supporting this event.
Before my child was diagnosed, I was unaware of the desperate funding needs of pediatric cancer researchers. I have now become a reluctant "expert" on the subject. For instance, are you aware that there are only a handful of chemotherapy drugs that are approved by the FDA to treat pediatric cancer? Nearly all of my daughter's treatment has been considered investigational or experimental. As you can imagine, this does not provide any comfort in an already devastating situation. Currently, pediatric oncologists are doing their best by combining their research efforts through national organizations like the Children's Oncology Group. However, getting funding from these large organizations requires significant time and resources.
By funding research on a more local level, we will be able to get studies started more quickly and continue to disseminate the information globally through the Children's Oncology Group. My question to you would be, why wouldn't you consider participating in this amazing opportunity to help save kid's lives? I write to you with all the hope in the world that my child will be cured, but the best way to foster that hope is by funding future research for a cure. I hope you will join my family and Children's National Medical Center in supporting this event.