Children are our future and that’s why investing in childhood cancer is critical to improving treatments and research
Cancer does not discriminate. It is a major cause of death in children worldwide. While there has been tremendous progress in fighting childhood cancer, significant investment is required to improve access to treatments and diversify research.
Lance Kawaguchi, who heads Cure Brain Cancer Foundation is passionate about raising awareness and funds to beat childhood cancer.
Why invest in Childhood Cancer?
Childhood cancer is a major cause of death in children worldwide, impacting children aged 0-14.
The most common cancers diagnosed in children is leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), brain and nervous system cancers.
Significant investment is required to improve access to treatments and diversify research.
Often, certain types of cancers remain underfunded and under-researched. However, just because they’re less common, shouldn’t mean they’re less important.
Brain Stem brain tumours like DIPG, primarily affects children, with most diagnoses occurring between 5 and 7 years of age.
It makes up approximately 10-15% of all brain tumours in children. Unfortunately, fewer than 10% of children survive.
Simon Gray lost his son Tom when he was seven years old, and is on a mission to prevent other parents from going through the same grief.
Need For More Specific Paediatric Cancer Treatments
There is a need to develop cancer treatments specifically for children and invest more in enabling this to happen effectively.
A relative lack of cancer research in children limits how to treat them. As a result, some children with cancer are dealt adult treatments, which are often ineffective.
Childhood cancer treatments very rarely reach FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) or EMA (European Medicines Agency) approval.
Therefore, it’s critical that more money is invested into treatment and research for childhood cancer.
Katie Banovich’s 6-year-old son Greyson is a cancer survivor. Greyson has emerged as an inspiration to all those who hear his story. His courage and resilience are a testament that no one should ever give up hope when confronted with adversity.
Katie believes it is through our collective efforts that we will continue to make strides in the fight against childhood cancers.
Any family can be impacted by childhood cancer, it does not discriminate. For some they have a positive outcome, but for many they are forced to live out a nightmare.
It’s crucial that we make the fight against childhood cancer a global fight.
Centres of Excellence fighting childhood cancer
1. Australia – Children’s Cancer Institute
The Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI) in Australia is celebrating thirty years of working with like-minded individuals and organisations to fund innovative research projects, world-class clinical care, and quality family support programs. To date, the foundation has raised over A$60.5 million. This capital was spent on a range of programs that align with the CCIs goals of improving the lives of children affected by cancer.
2. Qatar – Sidra Medicine
Sidra Medicine, located in the innovative Education City in Qatar is a benchmark for family healthcare in the Middle East. This 400-bed medical centre caters solely to women and children, offering state-of-the-art health care in a collaborative, research-driven environment. Sidra Medicine aims to establish itself as a global leader in the research of cancer and precision medicine. In September 2022, the institute published a study highlighting the successful use of precision medicine to guide the treatment of some paediatric cancers.
3. US – National Pediatric Cancer Foundation
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death resulting from illness in children aged four to fourteen in the United States. Sadly, only 4% of the billions of dollars spent on cancer research annually go to funding research for paediatric cancers. The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF) formed an innovative collaboration called the Sunshine Project. The primary goal of this project is to fast-track a more targeted and less toxic cure for paediatric cancer by bringing together the nation’s foremost researchers and medical professionals. Since 2005, the Sunshine Project has funded several clinical trials and translational studies in excess of US$ 33 million.
4. The European Society for Paediatric Oncology
The European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE) was established to ensure optimal care and outcomes for children and adolescents with cancer in Europe. The society is active across many areas including research, care, training and education, and EU advocacy. They are driven to facilitate collaborative research across the European continent as well as the promotion of novel treatment modalities in use in clinical trials. Seated in Brussels, SIOPE is ideally situated to promote and advocate better policies for children with cancer to EU policy makers.
Report contributed by Holly Stearnes, Lance Kawaguchi and Cure Brain Cancer Foundation.
Holly is an anchor and reporter at Ticker. She's experienced in live reporting, and has previously covered the Covid-19 pandemic on-location. She's passionate about telling stories in business, climate and health.
Right now the news is dominated by headlines featuring tech titans indulging in extreme hobbies or eccentric behaviors.
Now there’s a growing call for a different breed of leader in the tech industry.
From Mark Zuckerberg’s foray into combat sports to Elon Musk’s controversial tweets and public antics, the archetype of the risk-taking, thrill-seeking CEO seems to be in vogue.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg.
However, amidst the spectacle, there’s a clamor for a return to a more grounded and mature leadership style.
The tech industry has long been associated with innovation, disruption, and the celebration of the unconventional.
Indeed, many of the most successful companies have been founded and led by individuals who embody these qualities.
However, as the industry matures and faces increasing scrutiny from regulators, investors, and the public, there’s a growing recognition of the need for a different kind of leadership.
Personal pursuits
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook), has garnered attention not just for his company’s groundbreaking technologies, but also for his personal pursuits outside the boardroom.
From participating in high-intensity combat sports to embarking on cross-country listening tours, Zuckerberg’s actions have often raised eyebrows and invited criticism.
While some argue that his willingness to embrace risk and push boundaries is emblematic of the entrepreneurial spirit, others question whether such behavior is appropriate for the leader of a multi-billion dollar corporation with significant societal impact.
Similarly, Elon Musk, the enigmatic CEO of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, has cultivated a reputation for his eccentricities and unconventional antics.
Twitter spats
Whether it’s smoking marijuana during a podcast interview or engaging in Twitter spats with critics and regulators, Musk’s behavior has sometimes overshadowed his company’s technological achievements.
While his fans laud him as a visionary and a maverick, skeptics worry that his unpredictable behavior could undermine investor confidence and tarnish the reputation of the companies he leads.
Critics argue that the cult of personality surrounding figures like Zuckerberg and Musk has created a distorted image of what it means to be a successful tech CEO.
Instead of valuing prudence, integrity, and long-term strategic thinking, the focus has shifted to spectacle, bravado, and short-term gains.
Confidence is an indispensable quality in a leader. It’s what propels them forward, inspires others, and fuels innovation.
Elon Musk, with his bold vision and audacious ventures, epitomises this trait.
Yet, recent events demonstrate that even the most confident leaders have their Achilles’ heel. For Musk, it’s his tendency to lose his temper.
It’s gives his competitors and detractors an immediate advantage.
In the unfolding saga between Musk and Don Lemon, we witness the dichotomy of Musk’s personality.
On one side, there’s the charming billionaire, adept at persuasion and wooing even the skeptics.
Elon Musk and Don Lemon sit down for an interview.
Musk’s efforts to bring Lemon onboard his platform, X, initially showcased his persuasive charm.
Lemon, known for his fearless journalism and commitment to diverse viewpoints, seemed like a perfect fit for Musk’s vision of X as a platform for all voices. The modern-day town square.
Count to ten
However, Musk’s charm swiftly gave way to rashness.
After a seemingly aggressive interview with Lemon, Musk’s impulsive decision to cancel the contract via an angry text to Lemon’s agent exposed a glaring weakness in his leadership style.
In that moment, Musk abandoned the carefully cultivated image of an “open leader” and instead revealed a volatile temperament that sits at odds with the responsibilities of owning a massive communication platform like X.
Emotional intelligence
Leadership demands more than just confidence; it requires emotional intelligence and composure, especially in the face of adversity.
Musk’s outburst not only undermined his credibility but also validated the concerns of his detractors.
Don Lemon, once hopeful about the potential of X to amplify diverse voices, now stands as a testament to Musk’s inability to maintain stability and reliability. And that is bad news for the platform, still trying to win back dubious advertisers.
Don Lemon revealed his new show on Twitter has been canceled by Elon Musk. He still plans on putting their interview out.
Here’s a question for Musk – Would Bob Iger explode this way?
Musk’s erratic behavior undermines the trust of advertisers, content creators, and users alike. The abrupt cancellation of Lemon’s contract casts doubt on X’s credibility as a platform committed to fostering open dialogue.
Instead of being a beacon of inclusivity, X now appears as yet another casualty of Musk’s mercurial temperament.
There’s no doubt that Don Lemon went into this interview to achieve something. He showed confidence in his questions, calmness in his mannerisms, and objectivity in grilling the man who had just hired his show.
I don’t admire the amount of stress Musk must be under. Tesla’s share price has been tanking, SpaceX rockets blow up, and he’s under pressure over Starlink’s role in the Middle East war and Ukraine. Imagine the stuff we don’t know.
But in this interview, Musk fell over, showing the weakness of under pressure tech titans owning big platforms.
It’s been 24 years since Janine Allis created Boost Juice, which has transformed the health industry.
In an interview with Ticker Founder Ahron Young, Janine Allis, the vibrant founder of Boost Juice, shared insights into the company’s ethos, challenges, and exciting new developments.
Renowned for its innovative flavors and commitment to health-conscious choices, Boost Juice continues to grow worldwide.
When questioned about the role of cheekiness in Boost Juice’s brand identity and the balance between trendiness and timeless flavor, Allis explained the importance of staying true to the brand’s essence while adapting to evolving consumer preferences.
Reflecting on the past five years, Allis acknowledged the challenges posed by the pandemic but remained optimistic about the future.
“If you’ve got the right brand that has that magic dust that people say ‘I don’t know how it works but it works’, then there are people out there who still want a franchise,” Allis told Ticker.
She unveiled Boost Juice’s latest creations, the Pash & Splash and Sea & Tea ranges, inspired by a commitment to both flavor innovation and health consciousness.
Addressing the current economic climate, Allis highlighted the dual challenges of navigating post-pandemic recovery and inflation.
Despite these hurdles, she expressed confidence in the resilience of businesses and entrepreneurs, drawing from her own experiences over the past 24 years.
Boost Juice’s penchant for experimentation and unexpected flavors has been a cornerstone of its success.
Allis revealed that the drive to innovate stems from a desire to delight customers and stay ahead of the curve while maintaining the brand’s core values.
In response to inquiries about sustainability and health-conscious trends, Allis discussed Boost Juice’s alignment with these principles, including the incorporation of seaweed in its new flavors. #featured