WASHINGTON, D.C., September 22, 2016, Library of Congress, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Avenue, SE, 6-8 pm EDT
DALLAS, TX - Sep 20, 2016 - The Golden Toast represents bipartisan politics at its finest. It is an evening when members of Congress from both sides of the aisle demonstrate a commitment to some of the most vulnerable members of society - children who are fighting cancer. In an election season marked by divisiveness, the Golden Toast is a visible reminder that our elected officials can put aside disagreements to accomplish meaningful change and advance life-saving research.
Childhood cancer survivors Kennedy Meehan (19) and Sadie Keller (9) will introduce the Co-Chairmen of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, Congressmen Michael McCaul (TX) and Chris Van Hollen (MD). Fellow survivor Luke Gidden (16) will also attend the event.
Serving as co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus is one of the great honors of my time in Congress. The privilege of working together to help improve and save the lives of children afflicted with cancer is unparalleled. The courage and determination these children display each day is the most powerful motivation for our efforts and I could not be more proud the caucus, its members as well as the advocates, families, and the medical community working tirelessly to make transformational change possible. - Congressman Michael McCaul
Congressman Van Hollen stated, I firmly believe that we should be judged by how we care for the most vulnerable in our society, and its hard to imagine anyone more vulnerable than a child facing the diagnosis of cancer and fighting to overcome it. Thats why I co-chair the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus - to raise awareness, generate support and take the childhood cancer crisis head-on by focusing every possible resource on improving treatments and finding cures."
The 3rd Annual Golden Toast is currently at full capacity, with members of the childhood cancer community and numerous other congressional members of the 100 member Caucus expected to be in attendance.
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death for children under the age of 19 in the United States. Each year, one in 285 children in the United States is diagnosed with cancer. In the past 20 years, only two new drugs specifically for childhood cancer have gained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Despite achieving increased cure rates for childhood leukemia, progress against other childhood cancers has seen no meaningful change in decades.
The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) applauds Congressmen McCaul and Van Hollen for championing efforts to attack childhood cancer. In Texas, CPRIT has identified childhood and adolescent cancer as a priority and has awarded 65 grants totaling more than $78 M, making up approximately 10% of CPRITs overall funding to find cures for childhood cancers. - James K.V. Willson, MD, CPRIT Chief Scientific Officer
Chairman of the Golden Toast and Co-founder of the Carson Leslie Foundation, Annette Leslie, said, It is an absolute honor to toast Congressman Michael McCaul and Congressman Chris Van Hollen and publicly thank them for championing the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus and giving the childhood cancer community a soapbox from which to shout.
About the Carson Leslie Foundation
The Carson Leslie Foundation is a Dallas-based, non-profit organization which raises funds for pediatric cancer research and provides support for patients. It honors Carson Leslie, who died of medulloblastoma, a brain and spine cancer at age 17. One of Carsons dying wishes was that his journal be published so that he could tell his story of what its like to be a child fighting for life, and encourage other young patients facing a similar battle. Carsons book, which was published six days before he passed away, now resides in the Library of Congress and continues to inspire and reassure others. For more information, please visit
www.carsonlesliefoundation.org
.
About the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
To date, CPRIT has awarded $1.67 billion in grants to Texas researchers, institutions and organizations. CPRIT provides funding through its academic research, prevention, and product development research programs. Programs made possible with CPRIT funding have reached all 254 counties of the state, brought more than 110 distinguished researchers to Texas, advanced scientific and clinical knowledge, and provided more than three million life-saving education, training, prevention and early detection services to Texans. Learn more at cprit.texas.gov. Follow CPRIT at twitter.com/CPRITTexas and facebook.com/CPRITTexas.
CONTACT : Annette Leslie
carrymecarson@gmail.com
(214)-417-2155