Manning Family Children’s launches campaign to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer and sickle cell disease this September

During National Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month, Manning Family Children’s aims to raise awareness for this leading cause of death from disease in children, while raising important funds.

NEW ORLEANS – Every 36 minutes a child is diagnosed with pediatric cancer in the United States, drastically changing their lives, introducing new challenges like chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries—during a time when they should be experiencing the simple joys of childhood.

Thanks to treatment advances in recent decades, about 85% of children diagnosed with cancer now survive five years or more after first being diagnosed – a huge increase since the mid-1970s, when the 5-year survival rate was about 58%, and a uniformly fatal disease before the 1940s.

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Manning Family Children’s has provided advanced treatment for children with cancer, Sickle Cell Disease, hemophilia and other blood disorders for more than 40 years. “We’ve been on the front lines in making progress toward saving more lives, and our supporters have always been by our side in this work,” said President and CEO, Lucio A. Fragoso. “With the largest team of pediatric hematologists oncologist in the Gulf South, our goal is to offer the most advanced therapies that can be found anywhere, right here at home – keeping kids in Louisiana for the expert, and often lifesaving care they need, and always regardless of the family’s ability to pay.”

As a member of Children’s Oncology Group, the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Manning Family Children’s actively participates in clinical research of childhood cancers and blood disorders at the forefront of medicine, led by LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane University School of Medicine faculty.

“As the only accredited Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant facility in Louisiana, we are proud to offer the most advanced therapies for children with cancer and blood disorders, including being one of a select group nationally to provide newly approved Sickle Cell gene therapy, which is curative for those with severe forms of the disease, which predominantly impacts the African American population,” said Dr. Charles Hemenway, Service Line Chief for Hematology Oncology at Manning Family Children’s.

This month, the hospital is launching a campaign to raise awareness for childhood cancer, which remains the leading cause of death by disease in children, and Sickle Cell Disease, which is estimated to affect approximately 3,000 children and adults in Louisiana including about 80 infants diagnosed annually. 

“While we have made significant advancements in treating both childhood cancers and blood disorders like Sickle Cell Disease, there is still progress to make,” said Fragoso. “With an ongoing commitment to academic medicine and research in collaboration with Children’s Oncology Group, Manning Family Children’s joins our peers nationally in working toward a future where there is a cure for every child.”

A kickoff event is being held at Manning Family Children’s Tuesday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., where staff are “going gold” to raise awareness. Community partners will be offering education and resources, along with food and special activities.

The community is invited to help raise funds in support of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Manning Family Children’s by making a donation of any size or joining a community fundraiser this month. A full calendar of events, including businesses holding give back promotions where a portion of proceeds will be donated back, is available at www.manningchildrens.org/cancer.

For 70 years, Manning Family Children’s has proudly served as Louisiana’s only, freestanding, comprehensive children’s hospital with more than 600 pediatric-trained providers and 3,000 employees solely dedicated to the care of kids. In addition to comprehensive services offered at its main campus in New Orleans, Children’s operates a robust network of more than 30 satellite locations, pediatric affiliations across Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and robust and long- community programs designed to meet the health needs of the diverse communities it serves. At the heart of its mission, Manning Family Children’s is committed to delivering expert care for every child, every time – regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

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About Manning Family Children’s:
Manning Family Children’s is a 263-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, just for children. With more than 600 pediatric providers, Manning Family Children’s offers a comprehensive array of specialized pediatric services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, Children’s operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Children’s offers primary care at 17 convenient locations, along with a network of statewide pediatric affiliations. Children’s is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, East Jefferson General Hospital, Lakeview Hospital, and Lakeside Hospital. Learn more at manningchildren’s.org.