St. Baldrick’s Foundation Celebrates As Childhood Cancer STAR Act Is Signed Into Law

The U.S Senate passed on the most comprehensive childhood cancer bill ever introduced as described by Senator Jack Reed, followed by the approval of the House of Representatives on May 22, sending it into the president’s desk to be put into law. 

Now, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation declared that the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Treatment Access and Research (STAR) Act had been officially signed into law by President Donald Trump yesterday, June 5, 2018.

After three years of anticipation, the Childhood STAR ACT will be finally put into motion, expanding opportunities for childhood cancer research, improving efforts of identifying childhood cancer incidences, and improving the quality of life of childhood cancer survivors.

Due to the small number of children diagnosed with cancer and the geographic distance between these children, researching childhood cancer is challenging.

The legislation will provide researchers necessary funding, or exactly $30 million each year, to be used in advancing pediatric cancer research and surveillance, developing less toxic treatments, and providing enhanced resources for survivors.

The STAR ACT will require at least one oncologist on the National Cancer Advisory Board to stand as a voice of children with cancer during the decisions of funding.

The St. Baldrick Foundation is currently funding some of the most brilliant childhood cancer experts who are working to find child-cancer treatments, leading the change to take cancer from childhood.

Mike McCreesh, chairman of the St. Baldrick’s board of directors, called the STAR Act a true testament to the dedication of creating change for kids with cancer of the St. Baldrick Foundation, as well as their supporters and partners in the childhood cancer community.

“This legislation will bring hope to many families. We are grateful to our champions on the Hill for their commitment to kids with cancer, and we will continue to fight together with them to ensure the STAR Act’s full funding and implementation,” McCreesh said.

This is an updated article of “St. Baldrick’s Foundation Celebrates As Childhood Cancer STAR Act Is Signed Into Law.”