Last night, Congress passed a federal funding bill that included $80 million specially
set aside for childhood cancer programs! For a fourth straight year,
Congress provided $30 million to fully fund the Childhood Cancer STAR
Act, the most comprehensive childhood cancer bill in history. And for
a third consecutive year, Congress allocated $50 million to fund the
Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI).
This is welcome news we all can celebrate. In these times of change
and uncertainty, our lawmakers again committed to make investments in
research for kids facing a cancer diagnosis and for childhood cancer
survivors.
St. Baldrick’s Foundation advocates and volunteers were directly
involved throughout the federal appropriations process, collectively
raising the voices of our kids, families and researchers through the
St. Baldrick’s Speak Up Network. Because of you,
St. Baldrick’s was invited to submit testimony to the House Labor,
Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee for a second
consecutive year, showing the need for federal investments in
childhood cancer research.
St. Baldrick’s also worked closely with allies in the childhood
cancer community, including the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, of
which the St. Baldrick’s Foundation serves as co-chair. The community
worked collectively to demonstrate widespread support for funding
these programs.
Your advocacy is leading to meaningful change for the childhood
cancer research funding landscape. Thanks to your support and
advocacy for the STAR Act and CCDI, the federal investment in
childhood cancer research has nearly doubled in recent years. There
is still more work to do to develop new, safe therapies for kids with
cancer, but today’s news – and your continued support – gives us all
so much hope for the future.
Thank you for speaking up for kids with cancer – today’s
accomplishment would not be possible without you. I invite you to
learn more about how you can get involved with childhood cancer
advocacy by visiting stbaldricks.org/advocacy or texting
SPEAK UP to 52886.
Kathleen Ruddy, Chief Executive Officer
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