Every year, childhood cancer advocates across the country hit the trails for CureSearch Ultimate Hikes to help bring new treatments to kids with cancer. Individuals and teams, like Camp Happy Days, trek 20-30 miles to tell children’s cancer to “take a hike!” 

Camp Happy Days is an organization that offers support and encouragement to children diagnosed with cancer and their families through cost-free, year-round camps and other events. In addition, Camp Happy Days offers support programs throughout the year including hospital visits, holiday giveaways, crisis resources, counseling, and financial assistance. 

“A cancer diagnosis affects the whole family, so our goal at Camp Happy Days is to improve the physical, emotional and psychological health of the entire family,” said Cindy Hay Johnson, executive director of Camp Happy Days. “Our programs are unique because they include siblings and are free for the families.” 

These supportive programs are made possible because of dedicated volunteers, many of whom also participate in the CureSearch Ultimate Hike. For the fourth year, team Camp Happy Days will lace up their hiking boots for the 2022 Southeast on the Foothills Trail hike on November 12. This year’s team includes hikers who have survived cancer or lost loved ones to the disease.  

“We hike for them. We hike in support of those who are currently fighting the fight, in celebration of those who have won their battle, and in memory of those who we have lost,” said Debbie Donovan, 17-year Camp Happy Days volunteer and Ultimate Hike Team Captain.  

Camp Happy Days is also a sponsor for the Ultimate Hike and says the event provides a platform to share their mission with others, while supporting next-generation childhood cancer research.  

“The more opportunities we create to educate others about the need for safer, more effective, treatments for children’s cancers, the more we can help CureSearch in their mission,” said Debbie. “The research they help fund has a direct impact on the population we serve through Camp Happy Days.”  

Training is underway for the 2022 Southeast on the Foothills Trail Ultimate Hike. Click here to sign up for an upcoming information session to learn more.

The post Camp Happy Days’ unique programs empower children, families facing cancer appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

Dr. Geoffrey Kannan has always known he wanted to be a physician-scientist. After his first laboratory experience in high school, he was dedicated to learning more about innovations in science that could impact patients’ lives. 

“As soon as I stepped on the pediatric ward in medical school at the University of Miami, I knew that I was destined not only for oncology, but pediatric oncology. It’s been such a rewarding decision,” said Dr. Kannan. 

Dr. Kannan is a pediatric neuro-oncologist by training, and a senior medical director and oncology team lead for the Americas at Labcorp Drug Development. He serves as a medical monitor in a wide variety of industry sponsored trials and is a subject matter expert in pediatric oncology.  

Today, the overall survival rate for childhood cancer is more than 85%, but for many more rare childhood cancers the survival rate remains much lower. True progress requires input from experts in science and industry. Dr. Kannan serves on the CureSearch Industry Advisory Council (IAC), championing CureSearch programs and reviewing research projects for drug development potential. 

Dr. Kannan says that CureSearch’s collaborative groups, like the IAC, are integral in making a longterm impact for childhood cancer patients across the country. 

“CureSearch has achieved the goal of getting the necessary people sitting together. We must continue to work to balance all perspectives and always listen for the needs of the patient,” said Dr. Kannan. “I believe that CureSearch, and the people who make up its beating heart, is uniquely situated to lead in the care of our patients.” 

Dr. Kannan plays a critical role in helping us change the landscape of pediatric oncology, also helping plan the CureSearch Pediatric Early Development Symposium and CureSearch Summit. We are very grateful to have Dr. Kannan’s support of all of CureSearch’s work. 

To learn more about the IAC, visit https://curesearch.org/advisory-councils.  

The post Industry Advisory Council Spotlight: Geoffrey Kannan, MD, PhD appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

Parexel, one of the world’s leading global clinical research organizations and a CureSearch Industry Advisory Council member, is sponsoring the 2022 My CureSearch Walk to honor and remember those affected by cancer. Formerly the National Walk, My CureSearch Walk gives supporters like you the chance to walk from anywhere, anytime during September in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  

Parexel helps life sciences and biopharmaceutical companies transform scientific discoveries into new treatments that will ultimately benefit the patients who need them most. They don’t just focus on the patient. They focus on the person.  

“Beyond searching for medical answers and treatments, patients are people first and so much more than their healthcare needs,” said Clare Grace, Chief Patient Officer at Parexel. “The more we can understand our patients around the world, the more passionate we can all become about embedding empathy into the framework of everything that we do.” 

One example of how Parexel is embedding the patient voice into clinical trial design is by appointing its first Patient Ambassador – Stacy Hurt. She offers unique perspectives, both as a patient and a caregiver. Stacey’s son, Emmett, suffers from a disease so rare, it doesn’t even have a name. Now a teenager, he is still unable to walk, talk, stand up or care for himself. In addition, Stacey was diagnosed with an aggressive stage IV colorectal cancer that metastasized into 27 other places throughout her body. While her prognosis was bleak — an 8% five-year survival rate – in 2015, she was declared cancer free after 55 chemotherapies, 20 PET scans, chronic nausea and neuropathy, radiation sessions and two surgeries. 

“When I was approached to be a Patient Ambassador, I was so excited that a company was investing in a patient-oriented role,” said Stacey. “I have been very vocal about the need for patients and caregivers to be on the inside of an organization and help build clinical research from the inside out. Parexel gives me the opportunity to do just that.” 

Today, in her Patient Ambassador role, Stacy helps guide the design and delivery of patient-centric clinical trials from inside the organization.  

Click here to read Stacey’s story.  

CureSearch will also host in-person walks in Denver, Charlottesville, the Twin Cities, Salt Lake City and Omaha. Visit curesearchwalk.org to register, join a team, or organize a Walk event in your own community!   

The post Parexel: finding the person behind the patient appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.