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Education It is imperative that we educate our community about the local and national facts of childhood cancer. Understanding the complex issues surrounding a childhood cancer diagnosis helps our community understand the urgency to help families battling cancer and invest in a cure. We educate our communities by: - Distributing gold ribbon pins with facts about childhood cancer at community events and to the families we serve (more than 20,000 distributed to date).
- Coordinating national childhood cancer awareness campaigns and public service
announcements during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September). - Making educational presentations on the subject of childhood cancer. Topics include: Family Orientation Roundtables, Childhood Cancer in 2009, Investment in the Cure is Long-overdue -Why?, as well as Bereavement and inspirational speeches.
- Utilizing social networks as a significant tool to provide updated educational information to our families and donors.
Advocacy Our participation in National Childhood Cancer Advocacy since 1998 has proven vital to securing increased research funding. We remain an effective leader in raising childhood cancer awareness and much needed research funds by serving on "The Public Policy Committee" for CureSearch as a Team Leader for the State of California. In 2000 we testified in front of the House Senate Cancer Committee and in 2003 we met with First Lady Laura Bush and rallied her support in our quest to cure childhood cancer. From FY 2003-05, we have helped secure $4.6 million dollars for childhood cancer research which benefits The Children's Oncology Group. - Robyn's annual trip to Washington D.C. continues to prove successful. Robyn met with eleven Ca Legislators encouraging them to become Co-Sponsors of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006. Robyn specifically asked Senator Feinstein's office to take the lead for California. On June 27, 2006 our office received an email from Senator Feinstein's office stating that the Senator is adding her name as Co-Sponsor of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006!
- This Act, if signed into legislation as a Bill, will be the first ever landmark legislation for Childhood Cancer!
- As of April 2008 advocacy efforts have helped secure more than $10 million in appropriations.
- As a parent advocate, Robyn met with senior staff in Nancy Pelosi's office on May 13, 2008 and urged the speaker to put the Bill on the House calendar by May 16, 2008. The Bill renamed the "Carolyn Pryce Walker Childhood Cancer Act," currently has 63 Senate co-sponsors and 223 House co-sponsors and we are hopeful the Bill will pass in the near future.
- On July 29, 2008, President George W. Bush signed the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act into law. This bill authorizes $30 million a year for five years for childhood cancer research projects.
- The Raphael's were among other childhood cancer parents who participated in the National Ad Council's evaluation process for developing an effective national campaign for childhood cancer. The national campaign launched in fall of 2004 with Childhood Cancer commercial announcements broadcasting on all major networks. In June 2005 we were asked to evaluate future broadcasts.
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