As you are aware I have been involved with the St Baldrick’s Foundation in the battle against childhood cancer for decades. The St Baldrick’s Foundation was created and incubated in the (Re) insurance industry. And because of the generosity of the companies and people in our industry, the St Baldrick’s Foundation has grown over the last 24 years to the largest nongovernmental funder of childhood cancer research in the world. Since 2005, the foundation has funded grants where we all work, live and play, totaling over $325,000,000 to fund the best science at top child oncology institutions around the world. https://www.stbaldricks.org/grants

And while the foundation has been a leader in the mission to find not just a cure for every cancer, but a more humane cure for all childhood cancers, still too many children are lost each year to cancer We have made many advances in cure rates during that time, including funding new drug creation, creating access to care, rallying the US government to invest more in childhood cancer research and more. But with all these successes, childhood cancer research is largely underfunded, which is why foundations like St. Baldrick’s are so important. Here are some facts to consider;

Childhood Cancer Realities

United States Statistics:

In the U.S., one in five children diagnosed with cancer will not survive.

More children are lost to cancer in the U.S. than any other disease.

Before they turn 20, about 1 in 263 children in the U.S. will have cancer.

A recent study shows that because of the treatments they had as kids, by the time they’re 50, more than 99% of survivors have a chronic health problem and 96% have severe or life-threatening conditions.

International statistics:

Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer every 2 minutes.

Worldwide, more than 300,000 children are diagnosed with childhood cancer each year.

Today kids too many kids are diagnosed every day with a childhood cancer. And while cure rates in general have improved over time, a lot of that depends on which type of cancer the child is diagnosed with. The general comment is 4/5 children will now survive a childhood cancer diagnosis. While this number is an improvement since the Foundation started, it is a bit misleading. A diagnosis with ALL Leukemia, one of the most common and survivable cancers has a very high survival rate. But a diagnosis of a rarer and more deadly cancer like neuroblastoma the survival rates are significantly lower. And the cure in many cases remains worse than the cancer. Bringing lifelong side effects, including respiratory, cardiac, infertility, cognitive issues, as well as secondary cancers. So, there is still lots of work to do to find a more humane cure for all childhood cancers.

As such, I will once again be shaving my head in solidarity with kids who have fought, are currently fighting or sadly will be diagnosed with a childhood cancer in the future. This will be my 26th shave for kids with cancer. So many of you have been so generous supporting my efforts in the past and for that I cannot thank you enough. And I humbly ask for your support again in my efforts to raise money for life saving research that will hopefully find a more humane cure for all childhood cancers, so that all children can live a very happy life and ultimately fulfill their full potential in life.

I have attached a link to my fundraising page on the St baldrick’s Foundation website for your convenience; https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1111558/2023

I remain so proud to be part of such a generous and caring industry. Thank you in advance for your continued support and generosity to the mission. Together we can all Conquer Kids Cancer!

John