Through cooperation, Bridge To A Cure aims to cut the childhood cancer death rate 50% by 2030.
When Bridge To A Cure founder Bob Martin’s granddaughter Clara was diagnosed with brain cancer, Martin and dozens of healthcare professionals worked tirelessly to find effective treatments in an effort to save Clara. But, sadly, Clara passed on October 8, 2017 at just six years old. Inspired by her courage and positive spirit, Bridge To A Cure Foundation was established to find cures for pediatric brain tumors so that other children with cancer didn’t have to suffer the way she did. Because, for thousands of families like Bob’s who are facing a childhood brain tumor diagnosis, the journey is horrific and the results can be devastating.
Our Mission
To unite and transform the childhood cancer community’s approach to research with the goal of cutting the childhood cancer death rate by 50% by 2030.
Bridge To A Cure has been able to advance this mission by focusing on these key strategic initiatives:
- Focus on Brain Tumors. If brain tumors are cured, childhood cancer deaths are reduced by more than 50%.
- Data Collection, Processing, and Dissemination. By providing researchers access to a large enough database, we can accelerate breakthroughs and improve individualized treatment plans.
- Build Influence. As the foundation’s network of allies grows, so too does collaboration. This drives additional funding and federal legislation support.
The Bridge To A Cure Foundation 2021 annual report covers this progress in more detail. These initiatives have been implemented so successfully through the foundation’s staff, directors, and advisors, its network of allies, and individual supporters. But, there is much more that needs to be done. It’s time to move to the next phase of the Bridge To A Cure action plan—tapping into the foundation’s closely aligned network to strengthen databases and optimize resources, while also continuing to build collaborative efforts nationwide and beyond.
Introducing Children’s Brain Tumor Network… again!
And, the timing couldn’t be better. September is designated to drive Childhood Cancer Awareness, and earlier this month, Bridge To A Cure Foundation announced a new, collaborative effort with Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN). Moving forward, Bridge To A Cure will be integrating our time and talent into supporting this long-standing ally.
CBTN has been identified by the National Institute of Health (NIH) as the model for open science in data-driven discovery and Bridge To A Cure leaders fully believe that the cures for childhood brain tumors will be found using this collaborative data.
As CBTN begins delivering on Project Accelerate (the largest childhood brain tumor data release ever), this partnership makes sense now more than ever. The scope of this new data cannot be understated. With more than 8,000 new brain tumor samples being made available freely to scientists and researchers, the time for accelerated discovery is now. To this end, we have established the Bridge To A Cure-CBTN fund in memory of Clara. We will work hard to empower the work of CBTN and the more than 30 member research institutions globally that participate in their network.
Moving forward, Bridge To A Cure will continue its role on the CBTN Executive Council. And now, foundation president Robert Martin will sit on CBTN’s Executive Board to advise and formulate strategies that will continue to advance cures for children with brain tumors.
Continuing to Build Influence with St. Baldrick’s Foundation
St. Baldrick’s Foundation has been funding many CBTN member institution projects and is America’s largest private donor of childhood cancer research. Bridge To A Cure’s Martin is a member of their Board of Directors, where he continues to advocate for the funding of open science and data sharing in the pediatric cancer research realm.
This partnership has led Bridge To A Cure Foundation to be in the position to:
- Amplify demand for legislative prioritization of childhood cancer cures
- Influence lawmakers to craft and support stronger bills that actually lead to meaningful progress
How You Can Help The Bridge To A Cure Coalition
You are invited to share in this celebration of progress with Bridge To A Cure Foundation. Please do continue with words of encouragement, resource sharing, and generous giving—which drives our work forward, as it has since 2017. One day, together, we will share in the victory that childhood brain tumors no longer are a devastating threat to children and their families.
And if you can help, please donate to help the Bridge To A Cure Foundation coalition here.
