TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation wrapped up 2018 by donating $250,000 to several research hospitals, in support of cutting-edge research for childhood cancers and patient programs.
Since 2008, TeamConnor has donated more than $2.6 million to numerous hospitals across the country in its mission to find cures for childhood cancers.
The 2018 grant recipients include, Dr. Steven DuBois, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Dr. Simone Krebs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Dr. Meghan Granger, Cook Children’s Hospital; Children’s Health Dallas; Dr. James Amatruda, UT Southwestern University; Dr. Stephen Mathew and Dr. Paul Bowman, University of North Texas Health Science Center and Dr. Robert Schnepp, Emory University School of Medicine.
“We are committed to funding research for childhood cancers at some of the best research centers in the country,” said Joy Cruse, founder of Dallas-based TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation. “Despite being one of the leading causes of death among children, childhood cancer receives very little government funding for research. Therefore, if better treatment protocols and cures are to be found, it will take significant private and corporate support to fund the research.”
Dr. Steven DuBois, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Phase 1 Study of the Dual MDM1/MDMX Inhibitor ALRN-6924 in Pediatric Cancer, which will investigate a trial of a new therapeutic agent in children with relapsed solid tumors and leukemia. $100,000.
Dr. Simone Krebs, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Novel Molecular Imaging Tools for Monitoring CAR T Cells in Malignant Childhood Gliomas, will study the advanced molecular imaging and monitoring of CAR T cells in vivo models and will benefit children with DIPG and glioblastomas (one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer). $50.000.
Dr. Meghan Granger, Cook Children’s Hospital, Phase I Study of MIBG Therapy Combined with Immunotherapy, which will investigate the first opportunity for patients to receive a combination of the two most well-known, effective therapies for relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma. $50,000.
Children’s Health Dallas, continued support of our KidzBinz Activity Boxes to patients facing isolated hospital stays while receiving stem cell transplants and MIBG treatments. TeamConnor provides resources for hospitals to create personalized boxes of materials, including paints, canvases, crayons, markers, coloring books, digital tablets, and other items for kids to be creative while going through life-saving stem cell transplants in the hospital. These treatments typically result in extended and isolated hospital stays often lasting up to 90 days. During the treatment, a child often has very limited visitation. The KidzBinz Program drastically improves a patient’s overall experience. $10,000.
Dr. James Amatruda, UT Southwestern University, Ewing Sarcoma Study Utilizing Zebrafish Models to Identify a New Class of Drugs that Inhibit the Function of Ewing Sarcoma FLI1. $5,000.
Dr. Stephen Mathew and Dr. Paul Bowman, University of North Texas Health Science Center, which will recruit additional patients to further validate the finding at NK cells from pediatric ALL patients that appear to be impaired in their ability to kill tumor targets as compared to healthy subjects. $5,000.
Dr. Robert Schnepp, Emory University School of Medicine, Investigating LIN28B-PBK signaling as a novel therapeutic vulnerability in neuroblastoma, which is a preclinical trial to further study LIN28B as a potential target of neuroblastoma therapy. $30,000.
“Funding research is imperative to moving closer to finding cures for childhood cancer,” said Kathryn Copple, executive director of TeamConnor. “We are blessed to have supporters who want to make a difference. It is through our volunteers, corporate sponsors and private donations that we are able to award numerous grants each year to childhood cancer research projects. TeamConnor has donated more than $2.6 million in its mission to find cures for childhood cancers and we will continue this fight until cures for all childhood cancers are realized.”
Every year, more than 12,500 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer in the United States. Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children, yet the budget of the National Cancer Institute allocates less than four percent of its funds to pediatric cancer research. TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness and funding research and treatment programs to find cures for all childhood cancers.
TeamConnor hosts several events throughout the year to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer research, including Smashing Childhood Cancer Tennis Clinic, February 2, 2019; the 15th Annual III Forks Golf Classic, May 5, & 6, 2019; Splash Out Childhood Cancer, Summer 2019; and the 9th Annual Northwestern Mutual Clay Shoot, November 4, 2019. For more information on how to join the fight against childhood cancer, please visit teamconnor.org or Facebook.com/TeamConnor.