For children in hospitals, sometimes the best medicine and moments of joy can come with four paws, a wet nose, and a wagging tail. Today, the Joy in Childhood Foundation, the independent charitable foundation powered by Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins, is launching its Dogs for Joy program to bring in-residence dogs to children’s hospitals nationwide. Dogs in this program are bred and trained as service dogs but “work” full-time in children’s hospitals. Through more than $2M in initial grants the program will dramatically increase the number of in-residence dog programs in pediatric healthcare settings around the country and the prevalence of animal-assisted therapy as part of treatment.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8444851-joy-in-childhood-foundation-unleashes-dogs-for-joy/
Findings from continued clinical studies of investigational chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy, CTL019, demonstrate its potential role in the treatment of certain types of lymphocytic leukemia. In one long-term study of pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), results showed that 36 of 39 pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) ALL, or 92%, experienced complete remissions (CR) with CTL0191.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7393851-novartis-new-ctl019-clinic-data-acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia/
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children from ages 1 to 19 in the U.S. Yet, childhood cancer research and services are vastly and consistently underfunded. This weekend, Northwestern Mutual financial professionals and employees will support the fight against childhood cancer through its nonprofit partner, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), by holding nearly 200 lemonade stands as part of the Foundation’s national fundraising initiative, Alex’s Lemonade Days (June 12-14).
Founded by Alex Scott (1996-2004) in 2004, Alex’s Lemonade Days is a three-day national event that grew out of Alex’s front yard lemonade stand. During Alex’s Lemonade Days, dedicated volunteers host thousands of Alex’s Lemonade Stands across the country, raising more than $1 million for childhood cancer research. June 2015 will mark the 12th Annual Lemonade Days, and will continue Alex’s mission to raise money one cup of lemonade at a time, renewing her idea that any contributor, at any age, can make a difference.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7422153-northwestern-mutual-lemonade-days/
This February, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month by hosting the Tournament of Tooth Care, showcasing how parents and caregivers can help their kids fend off the Mouth Monsters –a.k.a. tooth decay. Parents and caregivers can tune in to the Mouth Madness to learn how to help little teeth take on the Mouth Monsters one big game at a time.
“Tooth decay in children is a major health epidemic for adolescents across the country,” said Dr. Robert Delarosa, AAPD President. “National Children’s Dental Health Month is a great time for parents to keep their children’s dental health top of mind. Make it a priority this month to find a Dental Home – or home base – for your child’s oral health needs and be sure your next check-up is on the calendar.”
Tooth decay is one of the top chronic infectious diseases among children in the U.S. About 60 percent of children will have had tooth decay at some point by age five. More than 50 million school hours are missed every year by school-aged children in the U.S. due to dental visits or problems. And tooth decay isn’t just bad for oral health; children who develop tooth decay at a young age are at a greater risk for developing problems with oral and general health, as well as with educational and social development.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7750251-aapd-mouth-madness-dental-health/
Abbott today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Masters HP™ 15mm rotatable mechanical heart valve, the world’s smallest mechanical heart valve, that will allow doctors to treat babies and toddlers in need of a mitral or aortic valve replacement. Until today, surgeons could only use a range of larger-sized valves to replace a pediatric heart valve that could not be repaired, and larger valves are often not suitable given the smaller size of children’s hearts. This dime-sized new valve is the first and only pediatric mechanical heart valve developed for newborns and infants, and offers hope for pediatric patients in urgent need of treatment who have no other approved options.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8280551-abbott-pediatric-heart-valve-fda-approval/
GW Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: GWPH, “GW,” “the Company” or “the Group”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform, along with its U.S. subsidiary Greenwich Biosciences, announced today that The New England Journal of Medicine has published results from a Phase 3 study of Epidiolex® (cannabidiol) in children with Dravet syndrome.1 Epidiolex, GW’s lead product candidate and the potential first in a new category of anti-epileptic drugs, is a liquid formulation of purified, plant-derived cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, which is being studied for the treatment of a number of rare, severe pediatric-onset epilepsy disorders. In the study, Epidiolex significantly reduced monthly convulsive seizure frequency compared to placebo in highly treatment-resistant children when added to existing treatment. Treatment with Epidiolex was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with prior open label experience.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8109951-gw-pharmaceuticals-study-epidiolex/
Doctors at Qatar’s first specialist women’s and children’s hospital Sidra Medicine have successfully separated conjoined twins, marking a first for the country. The surgery establishes an alternative for patients who previously had limited choices for the successful treatment and care of complex pediatric diseases in the region.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8422651-conjoined-twins-find-new-lease-on-life/
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-powered charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research, announces its Kids Are Special: Let’s Treat Them That Way national campaign. Focused on celebrating kids and giving them the happy childhoods they deserve, the campaign highlights the need for finding treatments that are specifically designed for kids with cancer.
With this bold new initiative, St. Baldrick’s looks to change the narrative around pediatric cancers, by showing kids as their truest selves – fun-loving, carefree, refreshingly honest, and always a little goofy. St. Baldrick’s puts the emphasis back on kids, while disempowering the label of “cancer.” All communication is strategically designed to remind us all that as adults we have the power to give kids happy childhoods free from cancer by helping to fund the best research worldwide. The campaign includes TV, print, radio, digital, and billboard placements featuring real kids doing kid-like things; from playing with their food to getting caught with paint on their faces, all with the message: Kids Are Special: Let’s Treat Them That Way.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7610752-st-baldricks-kids-are-special/
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patients who completed kindergarten during their treatment for pediatric cancers celebrated at a graduation ceremony.
For the 10th straight year, St. Jude honored 14 patients from around the United States who completed kindergarten while battling life-threatening illnesses like leukemia and brain tumors. Dozens of families and St. Jude doctors, nurses, and staff cheered for the young students, who completed kindergarten in the St. Jude School Program by Chili’s.
Each year, the school program commemorates students who have completed kindergarten coursework with a special ceremony. The children present a song for the families and St. Jude staff, receive their diplomas and celebrate the milestone with their fellow students.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7924755-st-jude-celebrates-kindergarten-graduation/
Miami Children's Health Foundation (MCH Foundation) celebrated its 10th Anniversary Diamond Ball on Oct. 29, raising nearly $1.6 million, benefiting the children and families at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. More than 800 guests took part in the glamourous affair, which combined couture fashion and costumes inspired by the theme “Into the Woods.”
This year, world-renowned guitarist, singer, and composer José Feliciano was inducted into the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame. After receiving his award, Mr. Feliciano also entertained the crowd with a live performance. Mr. Feliciano was recognized for his commitment to helping children through the Jose M. and Susan L. Feliciano Charitable Foundation for Children and the Arts and for his achievements in the world of music as the first Latin artist to cross over into the English music market.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7969051-miami-childrens-health-foundation-diamond-ball/
Changes in the treatment of pediatric cancer over recent decades have translated to a reduced risk of serious, long-term late health effects of cancer therapy. This is according to the latest analysis from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), a National Cancer Institute-funded resource for late-effects research, led by investigators at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“This is the first comprehensive study to demonstrate how changes in treatments over time have impacted the occurrence of late effects experienced by childhood cancer survivors,” said Todd Gibson, Ph.D., assistant member of the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control at St. Jude. “We found the 15-year cumulative incidence of people reporting at least one severe health condition decreased from 12.7 percent among childhood cancer survivors diagnosed in the 1970s to 10.1 percent for those diagnosed in the 1980s to 8.8 percent in the 1990s–a statistically significant decline.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7924756-st-jude-childhood-cancer-survivorship-asco-2017/
The most detailed analysis yet of the role germline mutations in genes associated with cancer predisposition play in the development of childhood cancer suggests that comprehensive genomic screening may be warranted on all pediatric cancer patients, not just those with a family history of cancer. The study from the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project appears in the November 19 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Ultimately, researchers anticipate that systematic monitoring of patients and family members who have germline mutations in cancer predisposition genes will allow the detection of cancers at their earliest and most curable stage, thereby improving the outcomes for these children and family members.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7692851-st-jude-hospital-genome-project/
