Cancer kills more children than any other disease in the U.S., more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and Pediatric AIDS combined yet research to find cures for pediatric cancer is proportionately grossly underfunded. The Smashing Walnuts Foundation (SWF), a component fund of the Piedmont Community Foundation, was established by 9 yr old Leesburg, VA resident, Gabriella Miller, who after being diagnosed with a walnut size, inoperable brain tumor became a national childhood cancer advocate and fundraiser during the last 11 months of her life. The mission of Gabriella’s foundation is to raise awareness of the prevalence of childhood cancer and funds to find cures for childhood brain cancer, which researchers believe may open the doorway to finding cures for all kinds of cancer. When Gabriella passed away, her brain was donated to doctors at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, who will be studying her tumor in hopes of finding a cure for the type of brain cancer that took her life. Becoming a beneficiary of WTOP’s “Click for a Cause” contest would enable the SWF to provide desperately needed funding to cutting edge researchers while also giving us an opportunity to raise awareness among WTOP listeners about childhood cancer. Our ultimate goal is to fund sufficient research to ensure that someday, no parent will ever have to hear the words “your child has terminal cancer.” We hope you will join us in this effort by voting for the Smashing Walnuts Foundation. Thank you for your consideration!
