Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation Awards $530,000 in Grants to Fuel Pediatric Cancer Research
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2024) – Cannonball Kids’ cancer (CKc), a national nonprofit dedicated to funding childhood cancer research, announced today it has awarded $530,000 in research grants to support innovative projects aimed at finding less toxic and more effective treatments for children with cancer. This brings CKc’s total investment in pediatric cancer research to over $3.9 million since its inception.
“Cancer remains the number one disease-killer of children in the United States,” stated Bruce Parker, Chair of CKc’s Board of Directors. “These grant funds are critical to providing support to researchers working to save kids’ lives. Thanks to our generous donors and under the guidance of our Scientific Advisory Board, these funds will now be put into action to secure less toxic, less painful therapies for children with cancer and drugs and therapies that are developed specifically for children’s forms of cancer.”
This latest investment will help support the following research projects:
- The Jon-Wesley Duncan Options for Infants Grant: Awarded to Dr. Tanja Gruber of Stanford University, this project investigates a new treatment combination that can significantly improve outcomes for infants with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
- The Legacy Builders 2023 Young Investigator Grant: Dr. Kathryn Lemberg of Johns Hopkins University will receive this grant to study a promising approach for targeting pediatric soft tissue sarcomas with RAS mutations.
- Theo Menswar Innovation for AML Grant: Dr. Anya Levinson of the University of California, San Francisco, will utilize this grant to explore a novel therapy for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with RAS pathway mutations.
- Jersey Mike’s Perfect Fit for Kids Grant: Dr. Amy Sexauer of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will receive funding to investigate a new target for treating relapsed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in children.
The 2023 grant cycle saw a rigorous selection process, with 18 Letters of Intent (LOIs) submitted, 14 full applications reviewed by CKc’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), and ultimately, four projects chosen for funding based on their scientific merit and potential impact. This meticulous process ensures CKc supports the most promising research avenues in the fight against childhood cancers.
CKc remains committed to supporting the next generation of pediatric cancer researchers. In addition to the research grants, CKc also awarded $30,000 to the Emilia Dameshek Better Options for Kids Fighting AML Program Grant. Led by Dr. Brian Tullius of AdventHealth Orlando, this Expansion of the EXCEL Trial will study the safety and efficacy of donor-derived, ex vivo expanded NK cells in producing lasting remission in a population of children with very high risk of relapse from AML.
“By investing in cutting-edge research, we are giving children with cancer a fighting chance,” added Parker. “We are incredibly grateful to our donors and volunteers who make this mission possible.”
With this latest round of funding, CKc’s total investment in childhood cancer research surpasses $3.9 million, supporting projects across 32 states and 3 countries. Every dollar donated fuels CKc’s mission to conquer childhood cancers and create a brighter future for young patients and their families.
To learn more about CKc and its ongoing fight against childhood cancers, please visit https://cannonballkidscancer.org.
About Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation:
Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation’s mission is to fund innovative and accessible research for children fighting cancer to provide better treatments and quality of life and to educate for change. Their rigorous, relationship-based, invite-only grants process ensures that 94% of CKc-funded clinical trials are first-of-their-kind in the US. To date, CKc has awarded $3.9 million in funding for 36 research grants creating 787 options for treatment for children in 32 states, DC, Canada, Scotland, and Switzerland.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The “c” in cancer in the name Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation is intentionally lowercase to give the word “cancer” an inferior status.]
