Childhood cancers: Rarer, biologically different, and less understood
April 16, 2019
Knight School is a series of public science talks designed to educate, entertain, and inspire audiences with stories told by Knight Cancer researchers, clinicians and patients.
Cancer has always been uncommon in children, and medical advances have greatly improved survival. Still, cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease in the under-15 age group. And in young bodies, current therapies can cause damage that persists for a lifetime. Scientific research is fueling new hope for less toxic and more effective treatments. Yet only about 4 percent of federal cancer research funding is directed to the study of childhood cancers. Join us for a discussion about childhood cancers, the importance of clinical trials, collaboration, and research advocacy – and hear first-hand from those at the forefront of this fight to end cancer as we know it.
Presenters:
Yoon-Jae Cho, M.D., chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurology at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
Dr. Cho specializes in caring for children with general neurological conditions, ranging from abnormal head growth, developmental delay or regression, to headaches and seizures. He has advanced training in the management of childhood brain tumors and serves as the scientific director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and the Knight Cancer Institute, where he guides development of new treatments for children with brain cancer.
Lorna Day, executive director of the Sam Day Foundation
In 2010, Lorna Day’s nine-year-old son, Sam, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. At the moment of his diagnosis, Lorna committed herself completely to his care. After a six-year fight, she lost Sam to the disease. During their battle with cancer, Lorna began fundraising and advocacy work to support research for rare pediatric cancers. She now leads the Sam Day Foundation and is driven to bring resources and attention to underfunded pediatric cancer research. Today, over $450,000 has been raised and donated to research in her son’s name.
Jordan Herrle, cancer survivor and medical assistant at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
When she was 9 years old, Jordan Herrle was diagnosed with a rare malignant tumor called acinic cell carcinoma. Fourteen years ago, she completed her final radiation treatment at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, where she now works as a medical assistant in Pediatric Endocrinology. Her advice for other kids and families facing a difficult diagnosis:
“It’s okay to be scared and ask questions. There are so many resources here at Doernbecher and outside the hospital, like Candlelighters Oregon and Camp Ukandu. Being around other kids and families going through something like this changed my life.”