Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Y&H Podcast
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Y&H Podcast
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Cancer and Blood Diseases/Still Jersey Money: We’ll Make Science Count for Kids with Cancer

Still Jersey Money: We’ll Make Science Count for Kids with Cancer

Still Jersey Money: We’ll Make Science Count for Kids with Cancer
November 7, 2014
John Perentesis, MD
1 Comments

Last night, I had the privilege of helping Cincinnati Children’s President and CEO, Michael Fisher, accept a check for more than 1.3 million dollars from the Cincinnati Bengals. This charitable gift was the result of an unprecedented sale of Devon Still’s No. 75 jersey; it includes contributions from thousands of individuals around the country as well as the Bengals organization.

With the gift of this generous check to our team here at Cincinnati Children’s, we have been given the opportunity to make science count for children with complex, high-risk cancers, including neuroblastoma, the type of cancer that Devon’s daughter Leah has.

We’ve taken this opportunity to think big, with a program that builds on our work in targeting precise treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers and leukemia in children and young adults.

We are already using comprehensive genetic sequencing and molecular profiling of childhood high-risk cancers to better understand the tumors and target them with the right drugs. When we biopsy a child’s tumor for diagnostic purposes, we analyze the tissue through DNA sequencing to define the unique genetic changes that are driving the cancer – what makes each tumor tick and what makes it potentially vulnerable.

With this new funding, we will expand this work by implanting samples of each child’s tumor tissue into mice that serve as “avatars” for the child. We will then test our genomically-guided treatments in the avatars – treatments that parallel the chemotherapy regimens being given to each child.  Studying the avatar’s response to the treatments will provide us with findings that we can rapidly apply to the patient’s care.

This approach has powerful potential for next-generation research and treatment of children with high-risk and relapsed cancers. Our goal is to identify the most precise, individualized, and curative therapies available for each patient.

This program builds upon Cincinnati Children’s advanced specialized care for pediatric and young adult cancers – neuroblastoma, leukemias & lymphomas, brain tumors, liver tumors, kidney tumors, sarcomas and vascular tumors. We incorporate a unique “team science” approach that combines efforts in clinical care and research, with the goal of conducting research that is immediately relevant, that makes science count for our patients. This initiative also expands our innovative program for the design and development of targeted drugs specifically for cancers and leukemias in children and young adults.

Each year we treat more than 350 young people with cancer at Cincinnati Children’s. We draw from the nation’s largest portfolio of new anticancer drugs, novel approaches to anticancer cellular engineering and gene therapies, and stem cell transplant. Last year children were referred to us from 40 states and 11 countries for our expert cancer care.

When Devon Still and his family decided to share their story with the world, Cincinnati Children’s cancer program benefited from their courage and from the generosity it prompted. We are grateful for and humbled by this gift, and we will do everything we can to do it justice. Our goal is to use these funds to make a lasting impact on the way pediatric cancers are diagnosed and treated. I am excited about the science that we are poised to pursue, and about the benefit our discoveries may have for patients of the future.

You can support pediatric cancer research at Cincinnati Children’s with a charitable contribution to the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute: www.cincinnatichildrens.org/support-cancer

Related Articles

Know the Symptoms and Risk Factors of Thrombosis in Kids
Know the Symptoms and Risk Factors of Thrombosis in Kids
Four Things To Know About Sickle Cell Disease
Four Things To Know About Sickle Cell Disease
Weathering the Storm Following A Neuroblastoma Diagnosis and Bone Marrow Transplant
Weathering the Storm Following A Neuroblastoma Diagnosis and Bone Marrow Transplant
Stronger, Wiser, Thicker: Kelly One Year Post-Proton Therapy
Stronger, Wiser, Thicker: Kelly One Year Post-Proton Therapy
TAGS:
  • Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Devon Still
  • neuroblastoma
  • pediatric cancer research

About the author: John Perentesis, MD

Dr. Perentesis is executive co-director of the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute and director of the division of oncology and cancer programs at Cincinnati Children's.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

10 Times Social Media Made the World Better in 2014 | We Are Change December 22, 2014 at 9:44 am

[…] in September. The viral clip helped boost sales of his jersey, and the NFL team’s pro shop donated all proceeds—more than $1.3 million—to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical […]

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • Learning and Growing
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Pin of the Week
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • The Young & Healthy Podcast
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Subscribe today to our family newsletter for tips, blog posts, podcasts and more.

Subscribe Now

Popular Posts

About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2025 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center