Terminal Cancer And Children In A World Focused On Adult Research
Terminal cancer — two words just don’t seem to mix well. They shouldn’t.
Unfortunately, hearing that your child’s cancer is terminal is something that many families will have to face this year. There is so much that must still be done in order to find a cure. At the Rory David Deutsch Foundation, we’re working hard to bring that cure closer to becoming a reality.
Even though so many children receive a pediatric cancer diagnosis every year, most of the focus seems to be on funding research for adult cancer. Currently, most of the treatments (like radiation and chemotherapy) that are used on adults are also approved for use in children, and they are extremely painful. It’s heartbreaking for parents to have to watch their child struggle through even more pain than their cancer is already causing. These adult treatments are often administered to children, only in lower doses.
Other painful side effects accompany adult cancer treatments, like painful stomach ulcers and high blood pressure. These treatments leave parents wondering if it’s worth it.
Dr. William Carroll, who is a researcher and director in the cancer institute of New York University, expresses frustration at the lack of funding that’s available for research into pediatric cancers. He says, “Ninety-six percent of grants don’t get funded.” This leaves a deficit in the amount of pediatric cancer research that can get done to move toward a cure for a cancer that’s threatening the lives of our children. It also has resulted in many researchers leaving this field for other areas of research.
The Rory David Deutsch Foundation was created to help these children and families. We are dedicated to funding research to find a cure. We’re dedicated on improving the quality of life for these patients, and we won’t be satisfied until there’s a cure discovered. We won’t be satisfied until the words terminal cancer and children will not need to be used in the same sentence…ever.
Please join us. Contact us to find out how you can help us in our efforts to cure terminal cancer in children.
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