TAMPA, FL, June 3, 2019 – The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF) – the top-rated cancer charity according to Charity Navigator – is partnering with The SebastianStrong Foundation to advance research into less toxic cures for pediatric cancers. SebastianStrong Foundation has awarded researchers associated with NPCF’s Sunshine Initiative grants to help fund two different research studies. One study will address “Metastatic Ewing Sarcoma” and the other addresses “Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors for High-Risk Neuroblastoma Therapy”. Mr. Oscar Ortiz, Founder of SebastianStrong and father of the foundation’s namesake, states “We are proud to establish and award an annual research grant to be named SebastianStrong Discovery Science Award at the $250,000 level. We believe that by partnering with the NPCF and their ability to bring together leading doctors and researchers across the nation to fund research that fast-tracks less toxic, more targeted treatments by encouraging collaboration across hospitals is the best usage of our resources. This year, we have chosen to make two Discovery Science Awards, both fully funded over a 2-year period for a total of $500,000”.

Every day, 43 children are diagnosed with cancer and 43 families are faced with a future of uncertainty. Cancer is the number one cause of death by disease among children, yet only 4% of the billions of dollars spent annually on cancer research and treatment is directed toward pediatric cancer. Since 1980, fewer than 10 drugs have been developed for use in children with cancer, which means most children are treated with drugs designed specifically for adults, often leading to significant health-related issues later in life.

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation supports unique and innovative research through a collaborative model (The Sunshine Project) with 24 hospitals nationwide. Mr. David Frazer (CEO) states, “we are both humbled and grateful for the support being provided by SebastianStrong. We strongly believe that by working together, we can accomplish mutual goals”.

About Sebastian Strong:
Sebastian Strong’s mission is to raise awareness and funds for less toxic, more targeted childhood cancer cures. For more information, visit www.sebastianstrong.org

About the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation:
The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research to eliminate childhood cancer through the Sunshine Project, the Foundation’s collaborative research initiative. By partnering with doctors and researchers from the country’s top institutions, the Sunshine Project is fast-tracking the development of new drugs and therapies that will ultimately lead to the cure of childhood cancers. For more information, visit www.NationalPCF.org