St. Baldricks Foundation

Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer. Worldwide, more than 300,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer each year. Childhood cancer isn’t just one disease – there are more than 100 types. Most are different from adult cancers and each requires specific research to develop the best treatment. While many other organizations fund important programs to help families of children, teens and young adults fighting cancer, we focus entirely on funding research. What started as a challenge between three friends in 2000 has grown into the world’s largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants. Since then, over 14,000 events have been held and more than 580,000 shaves have taken place to stand in solidarity with kids fighting cancer. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation coordinates signature head-shaving events worldwide, giving volunteers the opportunity to “rock the bald” in solidarity with kids fighting cancer and to raise money to support the best childhood cancer research, wherever it takes place. Donations raised through these fundraisers support the development of childhood cancer treatments to cure every child. Because “going bald” isn’t for everyone, St. Baldrick’s volunteers participate in “Do What You Want” fundraising activities, to suit their own interests. In the U.S. volunteers also help advocate for more federal funding of childhood cancer research by participating in our Speak Up advocacy program. To date, St. Baldrick’s has committed more than $305 million to lifesaving research, awarding 1,605 grants in 29 countries around the world. This research has the potential to impact every kid diagnosed with cancer. When you give to St. Baldrick’s, you don’t just give to one institution – you give to more than 379 institutions that are treating kids with cancer across the U.S. and beyond. They fund the training of the next generation of aspiring pediatric oncology researchers, including researchers from low-and middle-income countries. And they help institutions treat more children on clinical trials, often their best chance for a cure.