St. Baldrick’s Foundation Announces $80,000 Grant to University of Alabama at Birmingham to Fund Pediatric Cancer Research

Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Traci Shirk
626-792-8247 ext. 50
traci@stbaldricks.org

St. Baldrick’s Foundation Announces $80,000 Grant to University of Alabama at Birmingham to Fund Pediatric Cancer Research

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (October 27, 2011) – It takes life-saving research to Conquer Kids’ Cancer! The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, has awarded an $80,000 St. Baldrick’s Research Grant to Stuart Cramer, D.O., of the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, a partnership of Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.

Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and it remains the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States. With only 4 percent of all federal cancer research funding dedicated to pediatric cancer research, St. Baldrick’s Foundation grant funds are critical to continue the battle against this devastating disease.

Dr. Cramer was a St. Baldrick’s Fellow and has been promoted to a faculty position. Due to his promotion to a faculty position he became eligible for a Research Grant. He is now one of 21 recipients to receive funding in the Research Grant category from the Foundation. His research at Children’s of Alabama focuses on neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops in the nervous tissue. Most cases occur in children younger than two years old. For patients with high-risk disease, overall survival remains poor, thus there is a tremendous need to develop new treatments. This research will improve the clinical development of a new drug, MLN 8237, which has shown promise in early pediatric clinical trials and could improve survival in this devastating disease and provide additional targets for therapeutic intervention.

“It has been an honor to receive this grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. This Foundation supports the development of young physician scientists, and because of their support, we will hopefully one day find a cure for childhood cancer,” Dr. Cramer said.

This grant is part of more than $19.6 million in new grants by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, bringing the total to more than $21 million awarded for the fiscal year. All funding applications were peer-reviewed by leading pediatric cancer researchers who volunteer their time and expertise and make funding recommendations to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s board of directors. The Foundation’s next round of grants will be announced in November.

This year, Alabama residents raised more than $20,000 through their St. Baldrick’s events.

“I didn’t realize the vastness of underfunding for pediatric cancer research until my son was diagnosed in 2010,” said Amy Cagle, local volunteer event organizer. “No parent should have to suffer the untimely death of a child due to cancer. I feel called to support St. Baldrick’s and will do everything that I can to continue to support it.”

St. Baldrick’s signature head-shaving events are the fastest growing, volunteer-driven fundraising opportunity benefitting childhood cancer research. In 2011, the Foundation’s volunteers and supporters have led the way to raising a record-breaking $27.4 million by organizing more than 1,000 St. Baldrick’s events and shaving more than 44,000 heads to stand in solidarity with kids with cancer.

Everyone can do their part to support St. Baldrick’s! To locate or organize an event in your community, sign-up to shave, donate or volunteer, visit www.StBaldricks.org. You can also become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, join our letsCONQUER movement and visit the Foundation’s YouTube and Vimeo channels.

About the St. Baldrick’s Foundation
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. The Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. 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, a child’s best hope for a cure. Since the Foundation’s first grants as an independent charity in 2005, St. Baldrick’s has funded more than $76 million in childhood cancer research. For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.