Targeted Therapy for Childhood Cancers - A Day-Long Symposium

On April 17, 2009, there will be a day-long symposium at Georgetown University Medical Center ~ for Care Givers, Advocates and Medical professionals on "Targeted Therapy for Childhood Cancers."

Georgetown University Medical Center - Research Building Auditorium

Keynote Address by Peter Houghton, PhD, of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Topics include neuro-oncology, hematology, and sarcomas.



Information and registration: http://lombardi.georgetown.edu/events/pedstherapy

Free Teleconference from Beyond the Cure

Thursday, May 21, 2009 1:30 p.m. CT

The Financial Impact of Treatment When a Child is Diagnosed with Cancer
Presenters: Debra J. Wolf, Esq., Senior Attorney Legal Health, New York Legal Assistance Group and Tami Lewis, RN, CCM, Senior Clinical Case Manager, Patient Advocate Foundation

Goal: It is impossible to be prepared for the financial impact that occurs when a child is diagnosed with cancer. During this teleconference, hear how the treatment of childhood cancer affects finances and identify ways to manage and distribute available assets.

Deadline to register for this teleconference: Monday, May 11, 2009.

Childhood Cancer Survivor Scholarships

Beyond the Cure is offering eight $1000 scholarships to childhood cancer survivors. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2009. "College-bound or enrolled childhood cancer survivors who have illustrated the ability to overcome the difficult challenges of cancer with determination and motivation are encouraged to apply. Some of these scholarships will have a localized geographic focus. The N.C.C.S. has limited resources available and a limited number of applications will be approved."

For more information, go to Beyond the Cure and click on General BTC Scholarships.

Helping Survivors of Childhood Cancer Quit Smoking

While many of us can't imagine that our child, a survivor of pediatric cancer, would ever do something as harmful as smoking cigarettes, studies have shown they are almost as likely to smoke as the general population.

The National Cancer Institute's bulletin yesterday featured a clinical trial headed by Dr. Robert C. Klesges of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Efficacy of Tobacco Quitline for Childhood Cancer Survivors (XPD07-140).

For Parents, Caregivers and Professionals: Helping Brothers and Sisters of Children Living with Cancer

Telephone Conference Sponsored by Cancer Care

Telephone Education Workshop Details

Topic: Emotional Concerns Cancer

Date: May 14, 2009
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET

Presented By: Melanie Goldish
Executive Director, SuperSibs!

Deborah Bond Berk
MSW, Senior Social Worker, Sibling Program Coordinator, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology

Lori Wiener
PhD, Director, Psychosocial Support and Research Program, Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Insitute/NIH

Michael D. Amylon
MD, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Medical Director, Camp Okizu

Julia Little
MSW, Project Coordinator, CancerCare for Kids

Sign Up for Conference

Request for Nominations: Family Members of Bone Marrow Transplant and Cord Blood Transplant Recipients

The following notice was received from the National Cancer Institute:

Request for Nominations – Patient Representatives Needed for the Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation – Nomination submission until April 8, 2009

The Advisory Council advises the Secretary and the Administrator, HRSA, on matters related to the activities of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory Program. Specifically, HRSA is requesting nominations for voting members of the Advisory Council on Stem Cell Transplantation in these categories [additional categories listed in the notice above]: family members of bone marrow transplant and cord blood transplant recipients or family members of a patient who has requested assistance by the Program in searching for an unrelated donor; and members of the general public. Nominees will be invited to serve a 2- to 6-year term beginning after January 1, 2010.

Interested individuals should submit a nomination package to the Executive Secretary, Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation, Healthcare Systems Bureau, HRSA, Parklawn Building, Room 12-105, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857 by April 8, 2009.

For more information: Federal Register Notice

Virginia Childhood Cancer Awareness License Plate

Tom and Joanne Kral of Chesapeake, VA are leading a new effort to bring childhood cancer awareness license plates to Virginia. Tom and Joanne started Help Cancer Kids, to honor their 7 year old daughter Kristina, who died on Thanksgiving Day 2006.

Several years ago another mom, Rhonda Jarvis of Waynesboro, VA led an effort for VA license plates with a gold ribbon for childhood cancer. Later, CureSearch picked it up to help spread the word. Sadly, neither was able to generate enough interest for DMV to make the plate.

Who knows? Hopefully this will be the year!

Virginia DMV has agreed to design a special license plate for Childhood Cancer Awareness after 350 or more prepaid applications have been collected by the foundation.
Purchase your Childhood Cancer Awareness license plate through their website for $25, plus PayPal fee. After 1,000 plates are sold, Virginia DMV will donate a portion of the proceeds to Childhood Cancer Awareness Foundation.



Click here to read more: Help Cancer Kids


Please pass this information on to help the effort!

Angel Kisses 5K Run/2K Fun Run and Walk

Come join us for the 6th Annual Angel Kisses 5K Run/2K Fun Run and Walk

Mother's Day ~ Sunday, May 10th @ 8:00 am

Location: Poplar Tree Estates Swim & Tennis Club
13516 Point Pleasant Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151

About Our Race
This race was created in honor of a special little boy, Jeffrey Virostek, who lost his brave battle with leukemia on September 25, 2003, at the age of 4 1/2. Angel Kisses is a fund-raising 5K/2K Race to benefit the Jeffrey Virostek Fund, a component fund of the Northern Virginia Community Foundation.



To date, the Angel Kisses 5K has contributed over $75,000 to the Jeffrey Virostek Memorial Fund. These funds have helped families directly through contributions to Special Love, Inc., Big Apple Clown Care Unit, INOVA Life with Cancer, DC Candlelighters, Give Kids the World, Super Sibs, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, and Colors of Love.

For more information, please visit: http://www.angelkisses-5k.org/

FREE Bone Marrow Drive

Have you ever wanted to register as a marrow donor but either haven't taken the time or gone to the expense? Like me, you may have put it off til your life settled down. I finally did register a few years ago, and although I have not yet been a match for anyone, I look forward to being a donor one day. The test was an easy cheek swab - painless!

I received information about an opportunity to register free of charge AND get a free health screening! Marc Gold is a 25 year old with an agressive form of leukemia. He desperately needs to find a donor.

Even if you don't match Marc, you will be placed on the marrow registry and may one day have the chance to save a life -- someone's child, mother, father, brother or sister. Since the flyer may be hard to read, here is the info:

His family is seeking ONE person
YOU could be the ONE

March 22, 2009
10 - 1pm Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington - Free Health Fair & Bone Marrow Drive, 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852

http://www.jccgw.org/

1-4 pm Precision Health & Fitness - Bone Marrow Donor Drive, 6500 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814 http://precisionhealthandfitness.com

Support Group Meeting - March 18th

Parents - are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, worried, alone? You are NOT alone! Meet, share and learn from others who have “been there.”

Please join us for a support group meeting on Wednesday, March 18th from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Life with Cancer Family Center. Parents, grandparents and caregivers of children in treatment or off treatment, survivors and professionals are welcome to attend.

A pizza dinner will be served.

We regret that we will be unable to provide a children's activity or child care during this meeting, but we do hope that you'll be able to come!

Please RSVP to Lisa Tignor (703-590-4134) or Connie Connor (703-531-1515), or email dccandlelighters@gmail.com.

St. Baldrick’s!

Come shave your head and support St. Baldrick’s!

Date: March 15, 2009
Time: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Place: Fast Eddie's in Centreville, Route 29
RSVP: meglawless@cox.net

For more information about St. Baldrick’s, click here: St. Baldrick's Foundation - Shaving the Way to Conquer Kid's Cancer

Rachel's Tea Party and Fashion Show

We are pleased to invite Candlelighters families to the 6th annual Rachel's Tea Party. This year's party has been expanded to include a fashion show and opportunity for Girl Scouts to earn badges!



Admission is FREE for pediatric oncology families. Please click on the invitation below for the full-size flyer.