Project Brain Child Selected by AMEX

October 2nd, 2008

PLGA Families, Friends and Colleagues:

After a strong surge of partnership, our efforts on behalf of Project Brain Child did not result in a grant from American Express's Members Project.  In the end, funding for children's brain tumor research came up 142 votes shy of winning a grant.

While the outcome is a disappointment for sure, we are encouraged and inspired by the spirit of collegial partnership that we received from the PLGA families/friends as well as some of the other preeminent children's cancer foundations, (for example, Children's Brain Tumor Foundation, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, Virtual Trials.org, Magic Water Foundation, Matthew Larson Foundation, St. Baldricks,  Voices Against Brain Tumors, Boston University's Student Coalition, etc.) to help us reach our goal.

Despite this set-back, we will continue to look for opportunities to see our vision, of creating a world-wide genomic brain tumor registry (ALL grades and types of pediatric brain tumors) that researchers can use to target effective medical/ therapies for pediatric brain cancer, come to fruition.

On October 6th, representatives from the PLGA Foundation will be attending the first Children's Cancer Charities Conference in Philadelphia (sponsored by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation).  Our goal, to continue to bridge relationships with other like-minded cancer foundations to further the mission of finding more effective, less toxic treatments for all children with brain cancer.

As always, thank you so much for your support and faith.

Sincerely,