Childhood cancer research gets $30 million from feds

President George W. Bush approved a bill that devotes $30 million annually over 5 years to fund pediatric cancer research. The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act was introduced by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and was passed unanimously in the summer by the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The legislation was named in memory of Caroline Pryce Walker, daughter of Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH), who died of neuroblastoma in 1999 at age 9.

The new law will support funding for collaborative pediatric cancer clinical trials research and to create a population-based national childhood cancer database. Public education campaigns will also be launched to raise awareness about ongoing research in pediatric cancer, according to the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. It has yet to be determined which government agency will administer the grant money, a CureSearch spokesperson told ONI.