CAC2 Childhood Cancer Community News Digest (October 18-24)

Assorted news from last week:

CAC2 Ethics Think Tank presented a paper entitled Cultivating Ethically Sustainable Relationships with Stakeholders When Non-Profits Fund Pediatric Cancer Clinical Trials at SIOP.

The National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK sponsors the Cancer Grand Challenge each year.  This year the scientific committee narrowed the 169 innovative ideas down to a shortlist of just 11 teams, who will now compete for a share of £80m.  A newly launched childhood cancer research initiative called the “Virtual Child” is a finalist. This is a global project that harnesses the power of technology to transform the treatment of pediatric solid tumors.  CAC2 Member Gavin Lindberg (EVAN Foundation) is a parent advisor to this project which welcomes feedback from the childhood cancer community to inform the work of the team. Please visit https://www.thevirtualchild.org/ to learn more and provide your input using the “Let’s Talk” tab.

Michael Regan, the E.P.A. administrator, wants to limit a class of chemicals that has been linked to cancer and is found in everything from drinking water to furniture.

Upcoming Webinars and Online Opportunities:

On Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 1pm Eastern time, 10am Pacific time, Living LFS is hosting a free webinar geared toward parents of kids with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The webinar will cover the latest research on discussing hereditary cancer syndromes with children at all ages and stages, and will include tips and tricks for finding the right time, place and strategies for talking to children about LFS.

You can now register for the Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium 2021 at nbparentsymposium.com .  Hosted over two days (Friday & Saturday, November 5 & 6), this FREE virtual event will feature live and pre-recorded sessions and networking opportunities for families via conversation rooms on specific topics of interest. 

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is hosting the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) Annual Symposium on November 9, 2021. CCDI is building a community centered around childhood cancer care and research data. Through enhanced data sharing, we can improve our understanding of cancer biology to improve preventive measures, treatment, quality of life, and survivorship, as well as ensure that researchers learn from every child with cancer. The purpose of the symposium is to provide an update on activities to-date, and to exchange information to continue the momentum of progress from the first two years of CCDI.  Registration is required to attend the virtual meeting, complete the form under the Registration tab.

CAC2 hosted their October All-Member webinar, Finding Families to Serve, on October 20.  Panelists included CAC2 Member Kim Buff (Momcology), Heather Held (Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation), and Robyn Dillon (Children’s Hospital of Richmond).  They will share information on their successes in connecting with children and families who can benefit from an organization’s support services.