pediatric cancer research foundation (PCRF)
Miracles for Kids is a proud supporter of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) and their mission to improve the care, quality of life and survival rate of children with malignant diseases. Since its inception, PCRF has raised over $20 million to fund cutting edge research that leads to medically sound treatment protocols for childhood cancers. Miracles for Kids believes strongly in PCRF and stands beside them in their fight to find a cure for pediatric cancer. Over the last several years, Miracles for Kids has been a significant contributor to PCRF to support research facilities in our area working to find a cure for pediatric cancer:
| 1998 - 2007 | $500,000+ to Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation for ongoing research |
| 2007 - 2008 | $25,000 to both City of Hope National Medical Center & Children's Hospital of Los Angeles |
In 2007 and 2008, Miracles for Kids began a new relationship with PCRF, providing funds directly earmarked to specific research projects. Below we provide brief summaries of these projects, and their purpose. Each research facility is completing remarkable work in their areas of focus and gives us all confidence in the strides being made in pediatric cancer research.
city of hope national medical center
In 2007, Miracles for Kids joined PCRF in funding an ongoing clinical trial at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Southern California. Operated under the expert management of Dr. Michael Jensen, the clinical trial allows a person, for the first time, to receive genetically modified T cells, a type of immune cell, in combination with chemotherapy to target their lymphoma. A major step forward in the fight against pediatric cancer, the T-cell trial helps establish the fact that T cells can be manipulated in the laboratory to target tumors resistant to conventional therapy.
children's hospital of los angeles (CHLA)
In 2008, Miracles for Kids joined PCRF in funding an ongoing research project at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) “The Head Start Consortium for the Treatment of Young Children with Malignant Embryonal Central Nervous System Tumors, under the auspices of Dr. Jonathan Finlay. The “Head Start” treatment protocols for the most common malignant brain tumors of children developed by Dr. Finlay, have used intensive drug treatments given over a relatively brief period of time, with the intents of avoiding brain irradiation. The outcome of the young children stricken with this disease has until recently been very poor, with the majority of such children dying of their tumor within one to two years from diagnosis. Results from Dr. Finlay’s first two “Head Start” studies indicate preservation of neuropsychological function within the normal range.
