St. Baldricks Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, awarded a grant of $108,000 to Nationwide Childrens Hospital. These grants are designated to either help institutions treat more kids on clinical trials (their best hope for a cure), or provide resources to make more research possible.
St. Baldricks began as a challenge between friends and has exploded into the worlds largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research. St. Baldricks donors and volunteers made possible over $15 million in funding for childhood cancer research in 2008 alone; Nationwide Childrens Hospital is one of 28 institutions to receive funding as part of St. Baldricks Fall grants which totaled over $2.4 million.
Funding will be used to provide the equipment necessary to produce high quality whole-slide images of pediatric tumors, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (ALL), which is the most common form of pediatric cancer with more than 2,400 children diagnosed in the United States each year . These whole-slide images are then electronically distributed to the expert pathologists that evaluate these cases. This slide review method expedites patient enrollment on Childrens Oncology Group (COG) sponsored clinical trials.
We are indebted to the St. Baldrick's Foundation for the tremendous support this grant will provide to our program, said Nilsa C. Ramirez, MD, director of Surgical Pathology in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Director of the Biopathology Center in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. St. Baldrick's has become a recognized leader in childhood cancer research funding and we are gratified to have our work validated by the award of this grant.
St. Baldricks awards grants to institutions that meet stringent criteria and share the foundations commitment to fiscal responsibility and emphasis on research. St. Baldricks volunteer event organizers led the way to raising over $17 million in 2008 alone and St. Baldricks also considers these efforts in local communities to assist in determining grant recipients.
Our volunteers and donors give hope to children and families touched by this dreadful disease, says Kathleen Ruddy, Executive Director for the St. Baldricks Foundation. Their passion and dedication to the cause turn that hope into reality and have helped make grants like these possible.
About Nationwide Childrens Hospital
Ranked in the U.S. News & World Reports 2008 list of Americas Best Childrens Hospitals and Parents magazine's 2009 top ten "Best Children's Hospitals" list, Nationwide Childrens Hospital is one of the nations largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric healthcare networks providing care for infants, children, adolescents and adult patients with congenital disease. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Childrens Hospital physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of the top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities in the U.S., supporting basic, clinical and translational research activities at Nationwide Children's Hospital. With more than 300,000 square feet of dedicated research space, The Research Institute is organized into 13 Centers of Emphasis encompassing gene therapy; molecular and human genetics; vaccines and immunity; childhood cancer; cell and developmental biology; perinatal research; injury research and policy; microbial pathogenesis; cardiovascular medicine; quantitative and computational biology; biobehavioral health, innovation in pediatric practice; and clinical and translational research. Nationwide Childrens remains true to its original mission since its founding in 1892 of providing care regardless of a familys ability to pay. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org/research.
About The St. Baldricks Foundation
The St. Baldricks Foundation coordinates worldwide head-shaving events, with volunteer shavees raising money to support childhood cancer research. Since 2000, head-shavings have taken place in 18 countries and 48 U.S. states, raising more than $51 million, and shaving more than 73,000 heads.
The St. Baldricks Foundation makes grants to research institutions to find new cures for childhood cancer, and to find treatments to ensure a better quality of life for patients and survivors. The Foundation funds research projects conducted by established pediatric cancer experts, as well as younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, offering the best available care for every child. The St. Baldricks Foundation is grateful to its many volunteers (bald or not!) and donors, including HeadBlade Ultimate Headcare, PartnerRe, elope and QBE for making life-saving childhood cancer research possible. For more information about St. Baldricks, please call 1-888-899-BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.