Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research (Rally), a national non-profit organization, has awarded a $50,000 Rally for Research Grant to Emory University School of Medicine to support Renee Read, MD, for her research on pediatric brain cancer therapies.
"Pediatric glioblastomas, which are the most deadly primary malignant brain tumors in children, are resistant to current therapies. There is an urgent, unmet clinical need for new and effective treatments to eradicate these tumors," says Read, assistant professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and Hematology and Medical Oncology in the Emory School of Medicine, and a member of the Winship Cancer Institute.
"The generous support of the Rally Foundation will enable my team to continue research into developing a new therapeutic agent that specifically kills glioblastoma cells by inhibiting abnormally active proteins found in these tumors."
Rally and its Medical Advisory Board, consisting of leading childhood cancer researchers from across the nation, award grants through a dual competitive peer review process assuring that the best research is funded. All grants are made in honor or memory of a Rally Kid, a child who has fought or is currently fighting cancer.
"We are absolutely thrilled to support Dr. Read's cutting-edge pediatric cancer research," says Dean Crowe, founder and CEO of Rally. "It is important to fund promising scientists like Dr. Read as we work toward closing the childhood cancer research funding gap so that no parent ever has to hear that there is no curative option for their child."
This grant is part of the $2 million Rally will be awarding to 22 hospitals across the country this year. Since its founding in 2005, Rally has distributed more than $9 million to more than 250 childhood cancer research projects nationwide, including basic science, fellowships and clinical trials.
About Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research (Rally)
Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of kids ages 0 to 15. Rally, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, empowers volunteers across the country to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures. In its first nine years, Rally has awarded more than $9million in childhood cancer research grants across the country. Rally received the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence and GuideStar Valued Partner seal, and according to audited financials, 94 cents of every dollar raised, supports Rally’s mission. For more information, visit RallyFoundation.org.