Kathy Ireland Kicks Off National Pediatric Cancer Foundation's "43 Challenge" in Support of the 43 Children Diagnosed with Childhood Cancer Each Day in the U.S.

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating childhood cancer, has launched its annual “43 Challenge,” a virtual fundraising campaign in support of the 43 children diagnosed with pediatric cancer daily. Supermodel turned super mogul Kathy Ireland, who serves as NPCF’s International Youth Chair, kicked off the campaign whose goal is to raise national awareness and funds critical for pediatric cancer research, between April 3rd, or 4/3 and April 30th, or 4/30. The campaign encourages people to join the fight against pediatric cancer by donating in increments of 43 ($4.30 or $43 or $430).

“Funding research will help save the lives of children fighting cancer”, says David Frazer, CEO of NPCF, whose groundbreaking research in childhood cancer is affecting treatment protocols nationwide. “To put in perspective how important our community’s support of our work is - only four percent of the billions of dollars annually spent on cancer research is directed towards treating childhood cancer, and yet childhood cancer is the number one cause of death by disease in children. Moreover, fewer than 10 drugs have been developed for use in children with cancer since 1980. These are staggering statistics that we, as a society, cannot ignore. As the top-rated cancer charity, we are dedicated to putting 100% of our efforts towards developing safer, more effective treatment, to ensure these children not only survive but thrive after treatment.”

“It has been a whole year now that we’ve seen so many aspects of everyday life come to halt as a result of the pandemic,” says Ms. Ireland, Chair, CEO and Chief Designer of kathy ireland®Worldwide, who is among the top ten women's health advocates in America, as listed by UCLA. “This is not an easy time for many, including the healthcare workers who have selflessly and tirelessly devoted time and resources to implement many additional safety protocols to protect these precious children, so they can continue to receive lifesaving treatment. Please join us in supporting these young children and their families, who each moment hope and wish for the day they hear the words that their child is cancer-free. Awareness and contributions are literal lifelines for pediatric cancer research and treatment, and with our community’s support, we can and will destroy it.”

Since its inception, the NPCF has been working to develop these treatments through their innovative Sunshine Project, a business model unlike any other in the field of pediatric cancer research. Consisting of a consortium of over 20 leading pediatric hospitals nationwide, the Sunshine Project was founded with the goal of leveraging collaboration, both scientific and philanthropic, to identify promising, less toxic, novel therapies to treat and eliminate childhood cancer. Through these partnerships, top pediatric cancer specialists are able to collaborate, resulting in the fast-tracking of new treatment options into clinical trials. The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation has launched several clinical trials and continues to test new combinations of drugs and therapies. The treatment options being discovered through the Sunshine Project are bringing great promise for children who have not experienced positive results under the standard treatment protocol.

The NPCF has supported more than $30 million to pediatric cancer research since its inception in 1991. The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation has received a perfect 100% score for financial health and transparency and is the top-rated childhood cancer charity in the United States by Charity Navigator.

To join - log onto https://nationalpcf.org/team43/

About National Pediatric Cancer Foundation

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research to eliminate childhood cancer through the Sunshine Project, the Foundation's collaborative research initiative. By partnering with doctors and researchers from the country's top institutions, the Sunshine Project is fast-tracking the development of new drugs and therapies that will ultimately lead to the cure of childhood cancers. The NPCF has received a perfect 100% score for financial health and transparency and is recognized as the top-rated cancer charity in the U.S. by Charity Navigator. For more information, visit www.NationalPCF.org or connect via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.