Pediatric AML is tremendously underfunded and under researched, leaving young children with few options. Treatment protocols are tailored to adults and fail to accurately address the unique subtypes of pediatric cancer. Please help us spread awareness and raise funding. We can do better. We have to do better.

Why have only 3 new drugs been approved for pediatric cancer in over 30 YEARS?

• Because the market for pediatric therapies is smaller than that of adults, it doesn't incentivize private industry and pharmaceutical companies to invest. Basically, there isn't enough of a monetary payoff for pharma.

• With less incentive for private industry to invest in pediatric research, the roles of philanthropies and the federal government become critical for childhood drug development.

• Federal research dollars allocate only 4% of all cancer research dollars toward childhood cancer. Only 4%! Moreover, funding is typically awarded based on ranking of research proposals and reach, regardless of specific disease and need. As a result, 'rare' forms of pediatric cancer are overlooked ("Translating Discovery into Cures for Children with Cancer," American Cancer Society).

It is because of this that private funding is so crucial in finding cures for aggressive forms of childhood cancer, like those being researched at Fred Hutch Cancer Center for Project Stella. All donations go straight to the Meshinchi Lab for Project Stella research!