INDIANAPOLIS — Riley Children's Foundation received a $10 million commitment from Walther Cancer Foundation to research new treatments for children's cancers.
Cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death among both children and adolescents, and more than 15,000 kids and teens diagnosed annually throughout the United States, according to Riley. That includes about 315 Hoosier children each year, approximately 80% of whom are cared for by Riley Children’s Health.
“While we have made important improvements in the care of children with cancer, some types of childhood cancers remain largely incurable. Even when cancer can be cured, the therapies are brutal and leave children with lifelong chronic health conditions,” said D. Wade Clapp, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine and physician-in-chief at Riley Children’s Health.
Walther’s $10 million commitment will provide a 1:1 match for donors who establish endowed children’s cancer research funds at Riley Children’s Foundation – ultimately resulting in at least $20 million to fuel discoveries, the hospital said.
"If somebody were to give $100,000 that becomes $200,000 to discover new cancer therapies. If somebody gives $250,000 that will become $500,000 to study how we can make cancer treatments for kids less toxic and less debilitating," said Liz Elkas, Riley Children's Foundation president & CEO.
The funds will be deployed to support children’s cancer research at Indiana University School of Medicine, which is the research partner to Riley Children’s and Indiana University Health. Research will also be closely coordinated with the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“It’s especially important that we focus on new and better treatments for children’s cancer, because we have the opportunity to give children decades more life and to improve the quality of those years,” said Thomas W. Grein, president and chief executive officer for Walther Cancer Foundation.