Rally Foundation Awards $5M for a Record Number of Grants to 74 Childhood Cancer Researchers
Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research Awards $5M in 2024 In 2024, Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research (Rally) will...
What is Brain Tissue Donation?
When your child is first diagnosed with brain cancer, you may be asked if you want to donate your child’s tumor tissue. A brain tissue...
What is an MRI?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Having an MRI does not hurt, and it is safe – no radioactivity is present. It may take up to...
What is a CT Scan?
A CT (or CAT) scan is a diagnostic medical imaging procedure that creates three-dimensional images of internal organs, soft tissues, blood...
What is an Astrocytoma?
An astrocytoma is a brain tumor that begins in astrocytes—a type of glial cell that supports nerve cells in the brain. Astrocytomas can be...
What is Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH)?
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder in which the body produces an overabundance of Langerhans cells. These cells, which...
What is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is a cancer of the body’s lymphatic (lymph) system which is essential to the immune system. The lymphatic system is made up of a...
What is Neuroblastoma?
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that develops in the nervous system of babies and young children. It can also occur, rarely, in...
What is Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT)?
Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT) is a rare and fast-growing tumor that typically originates in the brain and spinal cord. These...
What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short, is a type of blood cancer that causes bone marrow...
What Is an Independent Investigator Grant?
Independent Investigator Grants are awarded to principal investigators. Let’s begin by explaining the role of a principal investigator. Principal investigators are typically faculty members (e.g., professor, associate professor, assistant professor) who lead a research lab as an expert in their field. As the lab leader, they are responsible for developing the research agenda, designing research projects, securing funding (often through grants like Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer...
What Is a Postdoctoral and Clinical Research Fellow Grant?
Before we get to that, let’s first address the difference between a postdoctoral fellow and a clinical research fellow. It can definitely be confusing. A postdoctoral fellow, also called a postdoc, is someone who completed a Ph.D. program and is now conducting research under the guidance of a principal investigator (mentor) with the goal of one day having their own lab. A clinical research fellow is someone who graduated from medical school and completed their residency. The fellowship...
Five Pediatric Cancer Bills Cut From the 2025 Budget
Your Voice Matters Now More Than Ever We were so close to an epic year for childhood cancer. We had six bills that were in the end of year budget. But at the ‘ninth’ hour all childhood cancer bills, along with many other bills, were stripped. As Congress reconvenes, your voice matters more than ever. Your members need to hear from you that these bills must pass. The cuts included: Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act This bill would cut through the red tape that prevents children on Medicaid...
Dean’s Letter – December 2024
I love seeing pictures of our Rally Kids. But this one of 10-year-old #RallyKid Caroline hugging her older brother, Jack, hit me right in the gut. The love and connection captured in that embrace tells a story of resilience and hope in the face of unimaginable challenges. For most of her young life, Caroline has been fighting a relentless brain tumor — this is the only life she’s ever known. Caroline is fierce, spunky and incredibly courageous. She has endured countless rounds of chemotherapy,...
A Message From Brielle
Hi, my name is Brielle. I’m 8-years-old, and I’ve been fighting cancer for as long as I can remember. I was 4 when I first got sick, and for two years, I went through a lot of treatments. It wasn’t easy, but when it was all done, I finally got to be just a normal kid again. I went back to school, played with my friends and even took dance classes! I loved it. My favorite thing was spending time with my family — we had so much fun together. But then, the cancer came back. I lost my hair again....
Rally Kid Brielle: A Little Girl with Big Dreams and an Even Bigger Fight
Brielle is a bright, beautiful 8-year-old who loves working on craft projects, dancing around the house and surrounding herself with all things pink and purple. Like most kids her age, she dreams of playing with her siblings, going to school and simply being a kid. But instead, Brielle’s dreams have been interrupted by something no child should ever have to endure: cancer. When Brielle was 4 years old, her family’s world turned upside down when she was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma....