The Press On Fund is one of the named funds of Cure Childhood Cancer and was formed in June 2006, by Stephen and Erin Chance after their 3 year old son, Patrick, was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma. In its first year, Press On raised more than $100,000 for neuroblastoma research. Since then, Press On has raised and directed more than $300,000 to neuroblastoma research being conducted at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In January of 2009, Brennan Simkins was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (“AML”) on the eve of his 7th birthday. While the source of Brennan’s AML is a chromosomal abnormality, both Brennan and Patrick are at high risk for developing treatment related AML. Given the lifelong friendship of these two families, the coincidence of their sons’ battles with cancer, and the ironic twist of fate that both boys are at risk for developing AML at some point in the future, the Chances expanded the mission of the Press On Fund to include research for AML and invited the Simkins to join them in directing the money raised.
The Press On to CURE Childhood Cancer Fund invests in medical research focused on neuroblastoma and acute myeloid leukemia, two deadly pediatric cancers. The Press On Fund’s goal is to achieve a greater cure rate for these cruel diseases while mitigating the potentially devastating side effects of current therapies. To accomplish this goal, the Press On Fund provides grants to scientists conducting research into novel, targeted therapies for neuroblastoma and AML.
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Press On to Cure Childhood Cancer
