ATLANTA, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — More than 28,000 children in the U.S. are currently battling a brain tumor, the deadliest childhood cancer and most common solid cancer in children and adolescents. Far too many children currently face no chance of long-term survival, and those who do survive must navigate the constant threat of recurrence and lifelong physical, cognitive, and emotional side effects.
Ahead of Brain Tumor Awareness Month in May, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation ( www.curethekids.org/stay-connected ) is sharing key facts about this overlooked and under-resourced disease. PBTF is the largest patient advocacy funder of pediatric brain tumor research and the leading champion for families and survivors.
“Childhood brain cancer takes the backseat in research funding and awareness because the size of the population affected is small – defined as rare. We must stop minimizing the problem and defining this disease by the number of diagnoses because we are failing these children and their loved ones,” says Courtney Davies, PBTF President and CEO. “The reality is the size of the pediatric brain tumor population is disproportionately smaller than the staggering ramifications of this disease, which we measure in the years of life lost and the burden of survivorship. Every year, that adds up to 47,631 years of potential life and futures stolen from those who will never have another opportunity to hug their siblings, ride a bicycle, or dare to dream of joining our next great generation of problem-solvers and difference-makers.”