When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it’s a battle that impacts entire families, communities, and the course of a young life. The Children’s Oncology Group (COG) is a beacon of hope in this fight, bringing together an international network of over 10,000 experts at 200+ leading institutions. St. Baldrick’s Foundation is proud to have reached a milestone in supporting COG with over $100 million in funding—an achievement made possible by steadfast donors, volunteers, and advocates committed to the dream of a cure for all childhood cancers.
Who is the Children’s Oncology Group?
The COG is the world’s largest research organization exclusively focused on childhood and adolescent cancer. Supported by the National Cancer Institute, the COG leads groundbreaking clinical trials that drive the standard of care for children and adolescents facing cancer. These trials, conducted at hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across North America, Australia, and New Zealand, provide critical data to answer important clinical questions and identify better treatments.
Each year, more than 16,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer. Over 90% of these young patients receive care at COG-affiliated institutions, ensuring they have access to the latest and most effective treatment options.
St. Baldrick’s and COG: A Lifesaving Partnership
St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s yearly multi-million dollar grant to COG supports nearly every institution qualified to treat children with cancer. This funding ensures that clinical trials are available for young patients nationwide, bringing emerging treatments to more children and families closer to home. The impact of these trials is profound—they’re not only working to save lives but also improve survivors’ quality of life and long-term health.
The COG’s research has already turned childhood cancer from a nearly incurable disease 50 years ago into one with a combined 5-year survival rate of more than 80% today. But with some childhood cancers still almost always fatal, our work is far from over. With St. Baldrick’s support, the COG is able to fund research that targets the causes of childhood cancer, improves survivorship, and even seeks to prevent childhood cancers from occurring.
Clinical Trials: Transforming Treatment, One Patient at a Time
Unlike adult cancers, where clinical trials are more optional, clinical trials for children with cancer are often the standard of care. Children and their families are invited to participate in trials, which range from Phase 1 (exploring safety and initial effects) to Phase 3 (testing and comparing treatments on a much larger scale). These trials open new avenues of hope and push for treatments that can improve both survival rates and long-term health.
Widespread Access
With over 100 active at any given time, children and teens are able to be treated on COG clinical trials at more than 220 COG member institutions worldwide. This means that more children can participate in potentially lifesaving trials close to home, reducing the stress and disruption that would come from relocating to larger research centers.
Project: EveryChild—Research That Includes to Every Child
Since its inception, Project: EveryChild has been a landmark initiative within COG, creating a central biobank for pediatric cancer research and ensuring that biologic and outcomes data is captured for every child diagnosed with cancer. These tissue samples can then be studied by scientists around the world, leading to better treatment for all children with cancer. St. Baldrick’s has been a supporter of Project: EveryChild, helping to expand its reach and impact. Today, thanks to sustaining gifts and partnerships, Project: EveryChild operates in every COG hospital, streamlining the research process and gathering invaluable data to inform future therapies.
Funding Gap and the Role of St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Supporting COG institutions in conducting these essential trials comes at a significant cost. On average, treating a child on a clinical trial costs $10,000. Unfortunately, the U.S. National Cancer Institute only reimburses $2,250 per patient, leaving a substantial funding gap. St. Baldrick’s provides an additional $1,250 per patient, helping to make these trials more widely available and accessible.
This funding makes a tangible difference for families and children fighting cancer, giving them the opportunity to access advanced treatments near their communities and supporting the dedicated professionals who make these trials possible. Without this support, many trials would be limited in scope, slowing the progress needed to find new, lifesaving treatments.
The Ripple Effect of Your Support
For nearly two decades, the generosity of donors and supporters has empowered the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to fund the COG’s vital research, creating a ripple effect that extends beyond individual patients. Every child treated, every new treatment approved, every life saved, contributes to a brighter future for generations to come.
As we celebrate this funding milestone, we’re reminded of the power of collaboration and the importance of continued support. Together, we’re giving children with cancer more options, more hope, and the chance for a healthy, fulfilling life. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when individuals, communities, and organizations come together with a shared vision: to Conquer Kids’ Cancer!
Thank you for being a part of this journey—your support is changing lives, and with your continued commitment, we’ll keep pushing forward until every child can live cancer-free.
