Doubt is the beginning of wisdom, Aristotle.
Despite promises from Congress to create a Moonshot equivalent to cure cancer, very little money has been released. Many in Congress mean well, but follow through is often lacking. Of the leading cancer researchers on the Cancer-A-Gogo list, few if any have yet to receive any additional funding; many are sitting on groundbreaking research findings and clinical trials. That’s why we’re asking for your dollar.
AVOIDING “GRANT” STATUS!
All funds raised, every precious dollar, will be given directly to our 22 groups for research and clinical trials. There is no “overhead” deducted. Donations are tax deductible and collected via the estimable Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation portal. Funds will be distributed to researchers in such a way as to circumvent the “grant” status approach. Giving the funds directly to each researcher, and NOT as “Grants,” prevents Universities and hospitals from dipping into our donations for their overhead (which can be as much as 60% at some institutions). We realize these same institutions need funding too, but that’s not the responsibility or intent of Cancer-A-Gogo.
Monies will be distributed immediately to each selected group, while a tally is kept as we barrel towards out goal of $325 million. All beneficiaries of the Cancer-A-Gogo fundraising platform, have pledged to share their research with others on the list and beyond, in an attempt to advance vital groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
Two other big things we learned researching cancer cures
1. MONEY IS NEEDED NOW. Government funding for cancer research is at a near record low, and immediate funding is needed to make the miracle of immunotherapy and other ground breaking treatments a reality. As we write this, only 6% of grants submitted to the NIH (National Instate of Health, the main source of cancer research dollars) are funded. The competition for government money for cancer researchers is fierce. These talented doctors and scientists must use much of their time writing grant after grant, in hopes of funding their research (their lab staff and clinical trial expenses) and their very salaries. 95% of salaries of doctors and oncologists at some of the country’s leading research hospitals, can come from government and private sector grants (you and me!).
2. RESEARCH MUST BE SHARED: A fundamental flaw exists in how research is gathered and disseminated among cancer researchers, namely that it isn’t being shared. Why not? Because researchers are often (and understandably) guarded with their research findings and discoveries. Why? Because it’s the publishing of these discoveries in scientific periodicals, that can directly influence the number of grants researchers receive, which influences whether they get tenured (job security). It’s a flawed system that discourages the free exchange and sharing of ideas. Cancer-A-Gogo attempts to address this conundrum, by eliciting a voluntary pledge from nearly all recipients of our funding, to share their findings with their fellow doctors in this fundraiser – and beyond. Shared research = accelerated cures.