September 29 Illumination Shines Light on Children and Families Combating Childhood Cancer

Trenton, NJ – Recognizing Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, First Lady Mary Pat Christie announced that Drumthwacket, the Governor’s Official Residence in Princeton, will illuminate in gold Friday evening, September 29, to promote awareness of childhood cancers.

“It’s so important for children and families impacted by pediatric cancer to know that they are not alone in fighting this disease,” said First Lady Mary Pat Christie.  “Illuminating Drumthwacket in gold is a way to raise awareness, demonstrate our support and be inspired by the strength and courage of the many families who are in this battle every day. I’m proud to join the Go4theGoal Foundation  and Make Some Noise, two of my New Jersey Heroes, in this effort.”

Childhood cancer is the number one disease leading cause of death of children in the United States. In fact, more than 15,000 children ages 0-19 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2017, according to the National Cancer Institute.  Approximately, 1,790 children will succumb to the disease this year.

The most common forms of cancer in children include: leukemia, brain and central nervous system tumors, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, lymphoma, retinoblastoma and bone cancer (including osteosarcoma, Ewing Sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma).

Nationally, the five-year survival rate for all childhood cancers combined has increased from 60 percent to 86 percent. The improvement in survival is largely attributable to new and better treatments and to the high proportion of pediatric patients participating in clinical trials.

Through her New Jersey Heroes Foundation, Mrs. Christie previously recognized the contributions of Go4theGoal founder Beth Stefanacci as well as Malcolm Sutherland-Foggio, founder of The Make Some Noise: Cure Kids Cancer Foundation, in providing resources, including funding research, that benefit patients and families affected by pediatric cancer.

Go4theGoal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was founded in 2006 by Beth and her husband Dr. Richard Stefanacci, after their oldest child was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.  In 2011 Go4theGoal launched two national campaigns, National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Day and Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer®. Go4theGoal provides children undergoing cancer treatment and their families with financial assistance, funds hospital-based programs, grants special wishes, and has funded over $1,000,000.00 in research since 2007.  For the past seven consecutive years Go4theGoal has earned the honor of “Top Rated Non-Profit” by Great Nonprofits.

The Make Some Noise: Cure Kids Cancer Foundation, founded in 2009 by then 11-year old Malcolm Sutherland-Foggio, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation dedicated to finding cures for childhood cancers. Malcolm, who is now 19 and battled Ewing Sarcoma in 2008-2009, was determined to raise national awareness of pediatric cancer and encourage private research funding to find the cures to help other children with the disease. So far, his organization has launched the National Angel Quilt for Childhood Cancer, among other projects, and has provided $1.5 million to support research to find cures and has reached over 20 million people with the story of childhood cancer.  Make Some Noise is a founding member of the Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2).

For more information about the Go4theGoal visit www.go4thegoal.org

For more information about The Make Some Noise: Cure Kids Cancer Foundation, visit makenoise4kids.or
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