Childrens Cancer Cause

Children's Cancer Cause fights for children with cancer and childhood cancer survivors like Kirstie of Pembroke Pines, Florida, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma when she was 18 years old.

“I had just graduated high school and was excited to start college. I felt the stereotypical young adult invincibility,” says Kirstie, recalling the morning that she woke up with a swollen lymph node. “After seeing many doctors, having several CT scans, X-rays, and ultrasounds, and being reassured that my inflamed lymph node was benign and would recede with antibiotics, I awoke from an excisional biopsy. The surgeon, with a tear in her eye, told me my lymph nodes were cancerous: I had lymphoma.”

She recalls that next few weeks as a blur of doctors’ visits and tests, as her doctors worked out a treatment plan. 

“Every day, more questions popped up, more fear tore at my heart, and more worry played with my mind.”

Kirstie saw her cancer diagnosis as a new beginning and maintained a positive outlook throughout her treatment. She completed two online courses while undergoing treatment and went on to excel in her undergrad career after being declared cancer-free. 

Today, she's working towards being a pediatric hematologist/oncologist. "Inspired by my care team and my journey, I want to help other kids overcome their cancer diagnoses with a positive outlook on life,” says Kirstie. 

“Waking up every day is a gift, whether I feel good or bad, and I am so grateful for the people in my life.”

Mission:

Our mission is to champion policies and programs that improve the lives of children with cancer and survivors.

Founded in 1999, Children’s Cancer Cause is a leading national advocacy organization dedicated to creating a brighter future for children with cancer, survivors, and their families. We promote policies and programs that aim to accelerate the development of safer, more effective cancer therapies for children and better address the unique needs and lifelong health challenges experienced by childhood cancer survivors and their families. 

Working closely with leaders in Congress, federal agencies, industry, and the broader cancer community, we serve as a dedicated voice of children with cancer, families, and survivors in national debates on health care and cancer policy. We act as a catalyst to stimulate pediatric drug discovery and advance therapy development and to help ensure quality care for the nation’s 500,000 survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer. 

Children’s Cancer Cause empowers survivors and families to become advocates for themselves and others by arming them with information, resources, and advocacy training. Our scholarship program includes an advocacy component that helps foster leadership skills in the next generation of childhood cancer survivors.

Goals:

Our core goals are to accelerate the development and availability of safe and effective therapies for children with cancer, and to improve the quality and accessibility of long-term follow-up care to make a lifetime of health and productivity possible for every survivor.

Values:

Children’s Cancer Cause believes every child with cancer deserves safe, effective, accessible, and affordable care of the highest quality. We value efficient, innovative research progress, evidence-based standards for treatment and care, and collaboration with the cancer community. We are committed to reducing disparities in access to treatment and care for underserved populations.

Childrens Cancer Cause is a Charity participating in the NASCAR Day Giveathon 2024 a Giving Day event, presented by The NASCAR Foundation.