About Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a rare form of childhood cancer that is particularly aggressive. Children diagnosed with Neuroblastoma must endure long painful treatments resulting in a 30% survival rate. Our goal is to work diligently toward a cure rate for NB that is parallel to other childhood cancers (such as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, Retinoblastoma, or Wilms Tumor) which have survival rates of 85-90%. Funding for research and drug development is desperately needed to achieve this goal. Current drugs and treatments prolong survival but can cause debilitating long-term side effects.
Key Facts about Neuroblastoma and Childhood Cancer:
- There is no known cause of neuroblastoma
- 1 in 100,000 children are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year.
- The survival rate for Stage IV neuroblastoma is only 30%.
- Up to 60% of the cases have metastasized (spread to other parts of the body) by the time they are diagnosed.
- While most childhood cancer survival rates have significantly improved over the last several decades, neuroblastoma remains one of the lowest survived cancers.
- Cancer accounts for the greatest number of disease deaths of children in the United States and kills more children per year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined; yet, neuroblastoma receives a fraction of the funding.
- Less than 3% of funds donated to the American Cancer Institute benefit childhood cancer (all types combined).
Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose."
