AVA’S ARMY PARTNERS WITH ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION TO FUND CUTTING-EDGE PEDIATRIC LEUKEMIA RESEARCH

Nebraska Non-Profit Donates $70,000 to Fund Groundbreaking ALSF Crazy 8 Initiative

WYNNEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES, May 29, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), the largest independent childhood cancer charity in the U.S., focused on funding critical research and supporting childhood cancer families announces a partnership with Nebraska-based pediatric leukemia research non-profit Ava’s Army to co-fund an ALSF Crazy 8 Grant with Principal Investigator Leonard Zon, MD of Boston Children's Hospital. This collaboration will support Dr. Leonard Zon’s groundbreaking research at Boston Children's Hospital aimed at developing safer and more effective treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Ava’s Army, founded in 2019 by Amanda Reinert after her daughter Ava’s battle with leukemia, shares ALSF’s commitment to advancing safer, more effective treatments for childhood cancers, specifically ALL. Ava’s treatment caused severe side effects, including neuropathy and significant dental issues, and posed long-term risks of secondary cancers. Determined to improve therapies that have remained unchanged for 20 years, Ava’s Army is dedicated to funding innovative pediatric leukemia research.

ALSF launched the Crazy 8 Initiative in 2018 to create roadmaps toward cures for hard-to-treat childhood cancers. This funding pillar supports large-scale collaborative research projects with grants ranging from $1-5 million. Initially committing $25 million, ALSF funded six projects, and in 2022, increased the commitment to $50 million to support at least 10 groundbreaking projects. The Crazy 8 Initiative focuses on innovative approaches to tackle the toughest challenges in pediatric cancer research, connecting researchers globally to accelerate new cure discoveries.

“We are thrilled to join ALSF in funding Dr. Zon’s Crazy 8 Project. Our mission is to support research that finds more effective treatments for childhood cancer. No child should endure the battles and long-term effects these kids face. Like ALSF, we are committed to continuing this fight,” said Amanda Reinert, founder of Ava’s Army.

Ava’s Army has donated $70,000 to help fund Dr. Zon’s “Barcoding Pediatric Leukemia for Therapeutic Purposes” research project. Dr. Zon’s Crazy 8 team, co-led by Dr. Ross Levine, aims to turn the tide by tracing leukemia back to its roots through cell of origin and find targeted therapies that can cure children who are currently incurable.

“We are grateful for Ava’s Army’s partnership and support of the Crazy 8 Initiative,” said Jay Scott, Co-Executive Director of ALSF. “Together, we are making strides toward finding more effective treatments and cures for childhood cancers. Collaborative efforts like this are essential to accelerating progress and improving outcomes for children everywhere.”

For more information about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s charity partnerships, please visit, www.AlexsLemonade.org/About/Charity-Collaborators. To learn more about Ava’s Army, please visit, www.avasarmy1.com.

For media inquiries, additional information about this partnership, ALSF’s Crazy 8 grant program, or to speak with ALSF or Ava’s Army representatives, please contact Jessica Buono of Brick + Vine PR at jolenik@brickandvinepr.com.

ABOUT ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION:
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was fighting cancer and wanted to raise money to find cures for all children with cancer. By the time Alex passed away at the age of 8, she had raised $1 million. Since then, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a worldwide fundraising movement and the largest independent childhood cancer charity in the U.S. ALSF is a leader in funding pediatric cancer research projects across the globe and providing programs to families affected by childhood cancer and has raised over $300 million to-date. For more information, please visit, AlexsLemonade.org.

Jessica Buono
Brick + Vine PR
+1 732-740-5751
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