Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes. One in five children diagnosed in the U.S. will not survive. These startling realities are the reasons the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a volunteer-driven and donor-centered charity, is dedicated to conquering childhood cancers through research.
Michael McManus, M.D., and Nicole Kattre, clinical research coordinator, review reports for clinical research trials.
Recently, the St. Baldrick's Foundation awarded Marshfield Clinic Research Institute a one-year infrastructure grant of $41,658 to expand its childhood cancer research team."Thanks to this gift from St. Baldrick's Foundation, the Clinic will be able to add a clinical research coordinator to the Pediatric Oncology team," said Michael McManus, M.D., pediatric oncologist at Marshfield Clinic Marshfield Center. "We will enroll more children in clinical trials throughout our service area."
Dr. McManus noted that facilitating clinical trials is an important way researchers discover better ways to diagnose, treat and hopefully cure cancer. Through this grant from St. Baldrick's, Marshfield Clinic will be able to play a larger role in this important area of research. The Clinic's role has been limited partly because of the vast geographic range it has served with just one pediatric oncologist. A second pediatric oncologist, Moira Lancelot, M.D., joined the Marshfield Clinic staff in January 2013.
The gift to Marshfield Clinic was part of a series of grants awarded across the country from the St. Baldrick's Foundation totaling more than $25 million in 2012. Grants were awarded based on the needs of the institutions and their patients, anticipated results of the grant and local participation in St. Baldrick's events.
With the grant from St. Baldrick's, the Clinic will be able to enroll more children in national trials conducted by the Children's Oncology Group. This assures that children with cancer have access to the latest treatment medications and protocols.
At St. Baldrick's signature head-shaving events, held throughout the country and around the world, volunteers shave their heads to show support for children undergoing cancer treatment and raise money for childhood cancer research.
Since 2005, St. Baldrick's has awarded more than $103 million to support lifesaving research, making the Foundation the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants. Becky Chapman Weaver, chief philanthropy officer of the St. Baldrick's Foundation says, "St. Baldrick's funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials."
"We are very grateful for this grant from St. Baldrick's," said Pete Schmeling, Development Officer – Research at Marshfield Clinic. "St. Baldrick's is known across the country for their support of childhood cancer research programs, and we are thrilled to be selected to receive such a prestigious award."
To learn more about how to support cancer research at Marshfield Clinic, including the pediatric oncology research program, please contact the Development Department at 800-858-5220 or visit www.marshfieldclinic.org/giving.