Every shave, every fundraiser, every volunteer, every dollar, and every act of generosity adds up — and together, they’re changing what’s possible for kids with cancer.
We’re thrilled to share that nearly $1.2 million in new St. Baldrick’s Foundation grants are being awarded to advance childhood cancer research. This funding includes nearly $1 million in Infrastructure Grants, which strengthen the systems that make clinical trials possible, and one new Research Grant focused on finding better, safer treatments for kids with cancer.
These grants aren’t just numbers — they represent a full circle of impact made possible by you and your local community.
Building the Foundation for Childhood Cancer Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are the backbone of progress in pediatric oncology. They test promising new treatments, refine existing ones, and give hope to families when standard therapies aren’t enough. But before breakthroughs can happen, hospitals need strong teams and resources to run these trials — and that’s what St. Baldrick’s Infrastructure Grants make possible.
This year’s nearly $1 million in infrastructure funding will help hospitals across the country open more clinical trials, treat more children, and give families the chance to stay closer to home for care.
Each grant is awarded based on need, expected results, and local St. Baldrick’s participation — meaning the money raised through your local St. Baldrick’s head-shaving events, fundraisers, and donations directly helps determine where this funding goes and how many kids it can help.
That’s the power of community. That’s how your support fuels real impact in childhood cancer treatment and research.
Advancing Research for Children With Burkitt Lymphoma
Alongside the infrastructure funding, one $200,000 St. Baldrick’s Research Grant is being awarded to Dr. David Dominguez-Sola at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, with funding from the “Jack’s Pack – We Still Have His Back” St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund.
Dr. Dominguez-Sola’s research focuses on Burkitt lymphoma, an aggressive childhood cancer that affects primarily children and young adults. While many cases can be cured with chemotherapy, the treatments are harsh and can cause long-term complications. For kids who relapse, options are extremely limited.
Dr. Dominguez-Sola’s lab is exploring how a specific genetic mutation drives Burkitt lymphoma’s growth. His team has discovered a previously unknown metabolic pathway that may be key to how this cancer spreads. By targeting this pathway, they hope to find new, less toxic therapies that could replace intensive chemotherapy — giving kids a better chance at recovery and a healthier future.
This important research is made possible through Jack’s Pack, a St. Baldrick’s Hero Fund created in loving memory of Jack Klein, whose courage and joy continue to inspire kindness and action. Jack passed away from the same disease this research seeks to better understand and treat — a reminder of why this work is so vital.
Since 2016, Jack’s Pack has raised more than $1.4 million to fund childhood cancer research, ensuring that other children and families have access to the hope Jack inspired.
You Make the Circle Complete
From community fundraisers and local head-shaving events to breakthrough research in hospitals across the country, every part of the St. Baldrick’s community plays a role in the fight to conquer kids’ cancer.
Because of you, kids have access to cutting-edge research, hospitals have the tools to make it possible, and families have hope for the future.
Thank you for being part of this circle — for every shave, every fundraiser, every donation, and every show of support that brings us closer to cures.
Check out the full list of institutions receiving a St. Baldrick’s Infrastructure Grant:
Arizona
- Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix
California
- Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, Loma Linda
- Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County (formerly CHOC), Orange
- Valley Children’s Healthcare, Madera
Florida
- Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando
Iowa
- UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, Des Moines
Illinois
- UI Health, Chicago
Louisiana
- LSU Health New Orleans, New Orleans
Michigan
- Children’s Foundation, Detroit
Missouri
- Children’s Mercy, Kansas City
- SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, St. Louis
New York
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset
- Upstate Cancer Center, Syracuse
North Carolina
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem
Oklahoma
- University of Oklahoma, Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City
Pennsylvania
- UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation, Pittsburgh
Texas
- Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic, McAllen, TX (affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine)
- Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute at UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio
Virginia
- Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughter, Norfolk
Wisconsin
- HSHS Wisconsin Clinical Research Institute, Green Bay
Check out the full list of institutions receiving a St. Baldrick’s Research Grant:
New York
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York
Every discovery starts with you. Support the research that’s giving kids with cancer new options and new hope.
