Texas voters overwhelmingly
approved a constitutional amendment in 2007 establishing the Cancer Prevention
and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) authorizing the state to issue $3
billion in bonds to fund groundbreaking cancer research and prevention programs
in Texas.
The
Carson Leslie Foundation (CLF) was established in 2010 to honor one of
Carson’s last wishes. Annette Leslie, (Carson’s mom) was invited to serve on CPRIT’s Advisory Committee on Childhood Cancer soon
after CLF was established.
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| Craig, Annette (with photo of Carson) and bro Craig! |
It
became apparent that CPRIT and CLF sympathies line up in regards to the
necessity of pediatric cancer research.
So, CPRIT and CLF have established a partnership, The Carson Leslie
Research Grants for Pediatric Brain Cancer Research. Both
CPRIT and CLF are committed to maintaining extremely
high standards in choosing the recipient(s) of the grants and both consider it a unique opportunity
to help stimulate great scientific thinking within childhood brain tumor
research.
Applications may be basic, translational, or clinical in their
orientation, but they must be clearly relevant to brain cancer in children
and/or adolescents. One of Carson's last wishes was to donate his brain for
research into the causes and treatment of pediatric brain cancer. In keeping
with his wish, fixed tissue, DNA, and cell lines are available from Carson's
tumors. Applications that would benefit scientifically from the use of this
material may request access, with justification.
CLF will provide seed money
and CPRIT is prepared to fully fund as many pediatric brain cancer research grant
proposals that CPRIT's scientific review committee deems A+. Grants may be funded for 3 years with
up to $500,000 each year.
Theoretically each grant could receive $1.5 million.
The Carson Leslie
Foundation is especially excited about this collaboration with CPRIT for
several reasons: (1) CLF’s funds will be tremendously leveraged, (2) we are
keeping our promise to our boy, but mostly because (3) disgusting cancer is the
#1 disease killer of children.
And just maybe hidden among those tumors that invaded Carson’s brain are some answers that a brilliant scientist needs to
find a cure from pediatric brain cancer.
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| carsonlesliefoundation.org |
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