St. Jude addresses childhood cancer in nation’s capital


    Dr. Evans and Dr. Hudson

    Helping to bring childhood cancer treatment and research to the front lines, two St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital faculty recently attended the inaugural Childhood Cancer Summit in Washington, D.C.

    Dr. William E. Evans, St. Jude director and CEO, and Melissa Hudson, M.D., director of the St. Jude Cancer Survivorship division, joined other top national oncology physicians and researchers at the summit to call on Congress to increase funding for pediatric cancer.

    The summit was convened by the bipartisan Congressional Pediatric Cancer Caucus, co-chaired by Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania and Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas. The Caucus serves as a clearinghouse for information on pediatric cancer and a bipartisan forum to aid members of Congress in working together to address pediatric cancer.

    Evans spoke about the St. Jude-Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, a newly launched, unprecedented effort to identify the genetic changes that give rise to some of the world’s deadliest childhood cancers. Hudson discussed the importance of long-term follow-up for childhood cancer survivors. Participants also addressed current legislation and the needed advancements in the field of childhood cancer to better treat and prevent the disease.

    Wednesday, September 29, 2010