Together with our volunteers, donors, and partners this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, NBTS is working to achieve breakthroughs and create change that will last a lifetime.
National Brain Tumor Society is committed to achieving breakthroughs in pediatric brain tumor treatment and quality of life.
NBTS connects the brain tumor community and provides resources to help better inform and prepare patients and their caregivers to access specialized treatment.
NBTS and its volunteer advocates helped influence the federal government to:
In addition, in partnership with our advocates, NBTS:
NBTS also ensures the pediatric brain tumor voice is represented at the highest levels and most critical junctures of our nation’s biomedical research funding system:
NBTS also continues to spearhead advocacy efforts to ensure that pediatric brain tumor research projects are eligible to receive funding from the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP), a part of the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. Since it was started, the PRCRP has funded important research in a variety of pediatric brain tumor types including medulloblastoma, glioblastoma, DIPG, ependymoma, and more. We also work closely with the DOD to ensure our pediatric brain tumor researchers learn about the application process and nominate patient advocate reviewers for the annual proposal review process.
In 2018, National Brain Tumor Society had the privilege and opportunity to directly contribute to the formation of the bill and, as a member and co-chair of the policy committee of the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, to help champion its passage.
The Childhood Cancer STAR Act is the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation taken up by Congress in decades. This bipartisan bill is designed to advance pediatric cancer research and child-focused cancer treatments, while also improving childhood cancer surveillance, as well as providing enhanced resources for survivors and those impacted by kids’ cancers.
Members of the Senate and House introduced a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the STAR Act beyond its set expiration in 2023 and extend these important programs. This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, help urge your local representatives to support this key piece of legislation through our action alert.