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Tackle Kids Cancer
Josh Stiefel December 4th, 2018
NFL quarterback Eli Manning with young patients at Hackensack University Health Center in New Jersey
Before the age of 20, about 1 in 285 children in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer. Eighty percent of children who are treated survive. Thanks to philanthropic programs like Tackle Kids Cancer, the chances for a full recovery are continually improving.
Tackle Kids Cancer is based at the Children’s Cancer Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. The nonprofit organization raises money for cancer research, patient care programs, and access to clinical trials.
“Pediatric cancer is the number one cause of death in children after accidents,” Amy Glazer, director of Tackle Kids Cancer, told me in a recent interview. “While we have made great strides, we still need to find a cure.”
ELI’S CHALLENGE
The Institute has a secret weapon—its partnership with the New York Giants. Quarterback Eli Manning leads the way with a program that he helped create. It’s called “Eli’s Challenge.” Manning matches every donation that an individual donor makes. This has helped inspire schoolchildren around the state to raise funds for the effort.
Manning also takes time to visit young patients. “Hearing kids’ stories,” he said via email, “and seeing their strength and fighting spirit are huge motivations for me. It makes me want to do more to help find a cure for childhood cancer.”
Photo courtesy of Hackensack University Medical Center