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St. Baldricks Preview

Dr. Heather Stefanski has been researching cancer in children for several years. Recently, she was awarded a St. Baldrick's Fellowship, allowing her to continue advancing childhood cancer research.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative - March 16, 2010

Originally broadcast by KXMB CBS 12
Reported by Kate Schell

Watch the video at this link: St. Baldrick's Preview

People throughout the community are stepping up, to help fight childhood cancer

And while many know tomorrow as St. Patrick's Day, people gathering at Basin Electric will celebrating St. Baldrick's Day.

To date, the St. Baldrick's campaign has granted more than $41 million to pediatric cancer researchers across the country.

As reporter Kate Schell tells us, despite having lost a courageous battle against leukemia, the legacy of Amber DesRoches lives on.

(John DesRoches/Amber's Father) "She seems to been a catalyst for a lot of good things happening in our community and these projects are continuing."

Like this celebration, that will soon be celebrating it's third year.

(Mary Klecker-Green/Basin Electric) "Every year we get to know more and more families who have been impacted by childhood cancer and so we know that St.Baldrick's is doing remarkable things and great things in that field."

But it's not without the help of people this like (show video of head shaving)....or this....(show doctor)

(Dr. Heather Stefanski/St. Baldrick's Fellow) "I would say the best thing about St. Baldricks and what we do the best is give out these small grants and say try this very innovative idea, it may not work, but it may and if it does, it is going to be great."

Dr. Heather Stefanski has been researching cancer in children for several years. More recently, she was awarded a St. Baldrick's Fellowship, allowing her to continue advancing childhood cancer research. And its through the working with patients like Amber DesRoches, that Dr. Stefanski has been able to make progress.

(Dr. Heather Stefanski/St. Baldrick's Fellow) "She was always happy, she was not a complainer, and you know thinking about everything that she has gone through, she had leukemia, she relapsed, she got this other complication, she had to be in a wheel chair, when you think you would be really down in spirits, but no it was amazing and that's the beauty about kids."

(Pam DesRoches/Amber's Mother) "The research part of it is huge because a lot of childhood cancers are not funded except through private foundations. One of the things we've learned that we didn't know until we found ourselves in that position, children just aren't a priority because while only 2900 of those die every year, as opposed to thousands close to 40 or 50 thousand adults. So the funding doesn't come, yet cancer is the number one killer of children, of all childhood deaths per year."

As with the cycle of life, the cycle of funds, too, goes full circle.

And with the help of Dr. Stefanski, that life cycle will hopefully last longer someday, for those battling cancer.

With KX News, I'm Kate Schell.

Basin Electric will celebrate "Shave the Day" tomorrow. Last year, they raised $123,000 and more than 200 people either shaved their head or cut their hair. They're hoping to do the same this year.

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