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From Our Founder:

July 2010

Happy 4th of July!

As RAC gets ready for another busy summer taking young cancer patients out to concerts for meet and greets and special concert seating, we look forward to all the smiling faces of young cancer patients doing something as run of the mill as going to a show with their friends. Dave Matthews Band has already extended their welcome to young cancer patients.

RAC attended the 10th annual “Reach the Day” rally in Washington DC with CureSearch. Our NC delegation making Capitol Hill visits included: a newly bereaved mom, Judy who lost her beautiful 21 year old daughter Ashton to rhabdomysarcoma in March, 2 year old Eve just off treatment for bilateral Wilms tumor and her mom, the crew from Jeff Gordon Foundation and our RAC Summer Intern, Tucker a 20 year old brain tumor survivor. We called on Senators Hagan and Burr, and Congressmen Jones, Miller, Myrick, Price, Coble, Watt and Kissell asking for funding of the $30 million Conquer Childhood Cancer Bill signed into law in 2008 but never funded. We heard a myriad of excuses, reasons, we wish we could………the Bill passed unanimously in the House and Senate but alas now there is no money for kids with cancer to have better cures, treatment that leaves less late effects and access to clinical trials. I asked them “what are we doing wrong”…….give us some idea of how to get this money appropriated….we had a couple innovative responses and a couple of bold face lies! Senator Burr feels like the problem is the ‘scientists they aren’t motivated to cure cancer because then their research dollars from National Cancer Institute will dry up and they will lose their livelihood’…….seriously Sen. Burr……..seriously!

RAC is happy to report a new music therapy program in St. Louis at Bob Costas Children’s Hospital/Cardinal Glennon. RAC has provided a $10,000 start up grant and a board certified music therapist is working with young cancer patients to create and record their songs with a local program called ‘Kids Rock Cancer’.

As you can see from our “Remembrance Page” we have lost some of our brave kids to this monster disease recently. Stephanie, 14 years old who had a big night with Beyonce this time last year, Eleanor, who was 11 years old and an amazing songwriter lost her battle in March and Leo, 19 years old who had the night of his life with Stevie Wonder last summer succumbed to rhabdomyosarcoma recently. I was privileged to attend his “Going Home Celebration” and was moved by his families unwavering strength.

Thank you as always for your support of the youngest cancer survivors! See you on the road in 2010!

Cheers,

Lisa

Lisa White, Ph.D.

Founder, Rock Against Cancer
lisa@rockagainstcancer.org

Click here for archived Letters from Our Founder.