A BOOK OF COMICS BENEFITTING CANCER RESEARCH

You are making a difference for someone!

Everyday some one is affected by cancer.   Cancer research has won many battles but still has a long road to travel.  Read some facts about how your contriubtions will make a difference!!

Drawing The Line is a project that Suley Fattah and Julie Eng have undertaken to support The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation and The Princess Margaret Foundation. The project encourages a community of giving and a spirit of creativity; involving a number of comic book artists from around the world in support of cancer research.

The book was inspired by Suley’s personal experiences at The Princess Margaret Hospital.  “This project is my way of thanking each and every one of those individuals -- all the healthcare workers  -- who make a difference everyday.”

At Sick Kids we diagnose and treat approximately 300 new cancer patients annually, 25% of all new cases of paediatric cancer in Canada.  Sick Kids is also the designated centre for paediatric bone marrow transplant in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces.  In the past year, 70 children received bone marrow transplants at HSC.

Despite significant advances in determining the factors leading to cancer, the rate of occurrences of paediatric cancer continues to rise.  For some types of cancer, such as acute lymphocytic leukemia and brain cancers, the occurrence rate has increased by more than 50% over the past 30 years.  However, thanks to advanced research and new knowledge gained from successful clinical trials, over 70% of all childhood cancer patients today will survive as a result of improved treatments but survival is only half the battle. We do not fully know the long term effects of chemical and radiation treatments on growing minds and bodies. Therefore children return on a regular basis for post-treatment check ups – often until they reach adulthood.

Today’s oncology protocols have been designed, where possible, as outpatient treatments as they are more cost effective, cause less disruption to family life, allow children to attend school and social activities, and sleep in their own beds at night. Sick Kids plans to update and expand its Oncology treatment facilities including; adding medical isolation rooms, recovery rooms, a clinical trials support unit, workstations, exam/assessment rooms and a 16 bed inpatient unit is planned.

Another exciting development on the horizon in this area at Sick Kids is the creation of the Childhood Cancer Research Centre (CCRC).  The CCRC addresses the growing need for innovative research and discovery in developing cancer therapeutics specifically for children.

Recent innovations by our team of cancer and blood researchers include:

• In a collaborative study researchers at Sick Kids have found that chemotherapy is an effective alternative treatment to bone marrow transplant for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.  A bone marrow transplant can have long term side-effects and require extensive hospitalization. This finding provides good news for some leukemia patients who will now be able to avoid a difficult bone marrow transplant.
   
• A research team at Sick Kids has identified important clues about the genetic origins of leukemia in children with Down syndrome – who are at greater risk than other children for developing this cancer. The research team, believes that the gene mutation that causes a form of leukemia in children with Down syndrome is actually a three-step process and not a single mutation.  This detailed understanding of how a mutation occurs allows researchers to now begin thinking about specific strategies aimed at disrupting the mutation – a more targeted approach to treating this still deadly disease.
   
• Dr. Benjamin Alman, an HSC orthopaedic surgeon and scientist, identified the genetic pathway that causes enchondromas, a common form of bone tumour.  This finding may lead to a potential chemotherapy for these tumours, where one currently does not exist.
   
• Dr. Gideon Koren (a pharmacologist), acting on a suggestion from Dr. Ron Grant (a clinical oncologist), recently discovered that pregnant women who take a daily dose of vitamins and folic acid may cut their soon-to-be-born children’s risk of getting neuroblastoma by as much as 50 per cent.

Thank You Suley Fattah & Julie Eng for
Drawing The Line in support of Sick Kids

All of these programs are strengthened by a community that supports research, education and equipment needs – creating hope for the children and families who come to us for care.

Sincerely,

Sofia Ramirez
Community Development & Events