Researchers at City of Hope, Dartmouth College, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, National Cancer Institute and the University of California San Francisco, receive $250,000 two-year grants

Philadelphia, PA (December 1, 2014) – In an effort to move hypothesis driven research into the clinical setting, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has announced the awarding of the 2014 Reach Grants to childhood cancer researchers at leading institutions across the country. The grants, which are designed to overcome the significant barriers that impede the translation of innovative and important research ideas from the lab to the clinic, have been awarded to five researchers, providing each $250,000 over the course of two years.

The 2014 Reach Awards will support: Linda Malkas, PhD of Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope for neuroblastoma treatment; Michael Spinella, PhD of Dartmouth College to research therapy for testicular germ cell tumors; Mary Baylies, PhD at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for research into rhabdomyosarcoma therapies;  Andre Nussenzweig, PhD of the National Cancer Institute to examine treatment of pediatric leukemias; and William Clay Gustafson, MD, PhD of the University of California San Francisco to examine relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma (full lay summaries of all projects available under separate cover).

The mission of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation remains to find better treatments and ultimately cures for all childhood cancers. Recognizing that clinical trials are imperative to moving innovative cures and treatments forward, the Foundation focuses several grant categories on supporting late translational studies to ultimately initiate a clinical trial. Along with the Reach Grant, the Centers of Excellence Program and the newest grant category, Bio-therapeutics Impact Grants, also support the development of therapeutics in preparation for early phase clinical trials for childhood cancer. 

“For many children and their families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis and subsequent fight, the traditional treatment protocol will fail,” said Jay Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. “Similarly to my daughter Alex’s battle, children and families will turn to clinical trials, whose outcomes can provide hope and the possibility of potential cures. We are dedicated to bringing promising research forward from the lab to the clinic.”

The current round of Reach Grants marks only the second for the award category. The aim of these awards is to fund studies which will result in the initiation of a clinical trial within a short time period, ideally 2-3 years. 

In addition to the awarding of Reach Grants, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has recently announced the awarding of several other grant categories to researchers on the front lines of the childhood cancer fight. For more information on recently funded projects, visit: www.ALSFgrants.org. 

About Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancer is a general term used to describe cancer in children occurring regularly, randomly and sparing no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region. Childhood cancer extends to over a dozen types of cancers and a countless amount of subtypes. Just a few of these cancer types include: Ewing’s sarcoma, glioma, leukemia, lymphoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilm’s tumor.  In the United States, childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15. Every day, approximately 250 kids around the world die from cancer, accounting for 91,250 losing their lives to the disease every year.

About Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $80 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 450 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.