If you would still like to make a contribution to this year’s event, please click here to donate, and help us continue in our battle against childhood cancer.

Directed Giving

Invest in the next big idea

This year, our Dawn of a Dream directed giving is focused on funding three grants for projects that hold great promise. Your support will allow us to do what many cancer research institutions are not doing–moving quickly, boldly, and innovatively to enhance outcomes for young patients.

Plant the seed of innovation

Since the first Dawn of a Dream, your financial support has helped the University of Minnesota achieve world-wide prominence as a pediatric cancer center one seed grant at a time.

These seed grants:

• allow researchers to gather the preliminary data required to secure larger national funding.
• allow doctors to fast track innovation
• launch the work of medical science's bright young minds
• lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of childhood cancer

Studying the Genetics of Infant Leukemia

Only 45% of infants who develop leukemia survive past 5 years, and University of Minnesota researchers are leading the way to find out why. They recently completed the largest study of infant leukemia in the world by collecting hundreds of infant DNA samples. With your combined contributions, they will apply a new gene chip technology to these samples. Using this technology, they can evaluate over 1 million subtle variations in the infant’s DNA to see if any patterns emerge that may explain why this devastating cancer occurs.

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in Childhood Cancer Survivors

A study of 14,000 childhood cancer survivors —funded by Children’s Cancer Research Fund— found that childhood cancer treatments may pose life-long health risks as significant as the cancer itself. In order to improve the quality-of-life of survivors,UniversityofMinnesotaresearchers proposeapilotstudyofsurvivorsusingadrug therapy known to help reduce cardiovascular disease and diabetes in adults.

Treating Epidermolysis Bullosa

We are fielding a second clinical trial to improve the treatment protocol of Epidermolysis Bullosa, a pre-cancerous skin disease that, until two years ago, had no cure. Previous Children's Cancer Research Fund seed grants accelerated the discovery for a cure, and changed the lives of these patients. This new protocol will use a new cell bank line that we believe will help to repair the devastating tissue damage this disease causes.