Kansas City,
02
October
2018
|
12:24 PM
America/Chicago

Fox 4: Metro organization Braden’s Hope aims to bolster funding for childhood cancer research

By Abby Eden

When it comes to cancer research, pediatric cancers are getting a very small portion of the funding to find treatments. Cancer remains the biggest disease-related killer in children.

However, the American Cancer Society and at least one local organization are trying to change that.

Deliece Hofen`s son, Braden, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was just 3 years old. After more than a year of treatment, Braden`s cancer relapsed, and his odds for survival were just 10 percent.

Braden survived, but his mom was shocked to see so few treatment options for her young son.

She realized she had to come up with a way to fund more research for childhood cancer, so she started Braden`s Hope.

Braden`s Hope pledged to give $3 million over three years to researchers in Kansas City, and this year`s recipient of a $1 million grant is Dr. John Perry of Children's Mercy. Dr. Perry is a survivor of pediatric cancer, it`s what influenced his decision to research pediatric cancers.

"Originally, I was working on how normal stem cells make more of themselves. I realized in doing that - that that process can be hijacked by different genetic alterations, and you can form what`s known as a leukemia stem cell, and that is really the root of the cancer. So if you can target that, then you can potentially eliminate the cancer," he explained.

Dr. Perry hopes this treatment will not only help cancer patients, but it`ll reduce the after effects that other treatments may cause.

 

See the full story via Fox 4.

Learn more about Children's Research Institute at Children's Mercy