Prior to July 29th 2009, our Grandaughter, Hope Fuller, was a normal, beautiful, active, 12-year-old little girl. This was the day she was diagnosed with Difuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a tumor located in the brainstem and inoperable. Treatment is radiation and various chemo trials, which in some instances, can give the child a few more months of life. The average lifespan of a child with DIPG is around 12 months. Hope went to heaven on March 10, 2010, and our family’s lives will never be the same.
DIPG is just one of many Childhood Cancers that are taking our Children and Grandchildren from us. Every day 40+ children are diagnosed with Childhood Cancer, and very little research is being done on Childhood Cancers. There has been “little to no increase in survival rates of childhood cancer in the last 20 years due to lack of access to new cancer agents,” according to Dr. Eugenie Kleinerman, University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. Out of the $4.8 billion dollar National Cancer Institute’s budget, only $173 million or just over 3% is allocated for grants having anything to do with pediatric (Childhood) cancer. Childhood Cancer is the number one killer of disease related deaths in children. More than Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma, and Aids combined.
Please help us get the word out and raise AWARENESS of this terrible killer. For more information go to www.thecurestartsnow.org
