Atlanta, GA, July 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CURE Childhood Cancer, an Atlanta-based non-profit which funds research aimed at finding cures for cancers which affect children, is proud to announce their fiscal year 2015-2016 funding for research projects and fellowship awards totaling more than $2.5 million. Awarded to researchers at top pediatric cancer centers in the U.S., CURE is supporting 19 different research projects conducted at 6 top pediatric cancer institutions. Each year, 16,000 new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed, and cancer remains the second leading cause of death among children. Notwithstanding, federal funding remains low at only 4% of the total budget for cancer research. CURE Childhood Cancer has attempted to fill in the tremendous gaps left by the lack of federal funding by generating significant revenue from donations by corporations and individual donors.
"We are grateful to our corporate sponsors, individual donors, our dedicated employees, volunteers, and Board members," said Kristin Connor, Executive Director of CURE Childhood Cancer. "Every research initiative gives us hope that we are steps closer to finding cures for childhood cancers and effective treatments for the 40,000 children who already have this horrible disease." Over the past 9 years, under Connor's leadership CURE Childhood Cancer has grown 452% and has been applauded for effective operations and laser-like focus on research and critical support programs for families.
Recipients of the CURE Childhood Cancer research grants are based at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute and Seattle Children's Hospital. A full list of researchers and their initiatives can be found on the CURE website at this link: http://bit.ly/1CQ82Cm
"With September being National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, CURE Childhood Cancer is proud to make this multi-million dollar grant distribution, which will get us closer to finding a cure for childhood cancers," said Connor who is a parent of a childhood cancer survivor as her one-month-old son was diagnosed 13 years ago. "This research is critically important to eradicate this disease that is currently ravaging thousands of children and devastating families. The time is now."
About CURE Childhood Cancer
Founded in 1975, Atlanta, GA-based CURE Childhood Cancer is a national non-profit dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through funding targeted research and through supporting patients and their families. With cancer as the second leading cause of death in children and incidence rates rising, CURE has become a leader in advancing research to improve outcomes for affected children, investing at least $2.5 million annually in promising studies. Through innovative programs, CURE provides crisis oriented support to affected families, addressing their critical and urgent needs. For more information visit www.curechildhoodcancer.org and Twitter @curechildcancer