The word “cancer” becomes a part of everyday life for the families of almost 800 Australian children per year. While advances in treatment have been able to save many of these children, there are still 20 percent who do not survive. To give kids a better chance, Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and the Australian Lions Childhood Cancer Research Foundation have committed US$3.2 million to go toward genome sequencing.

These funds will allow the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to sequence the unique genomes of 400 kids with high-risk, aggressive forms of cancer. Doctors will better understand their patients’ bodies and can then create precision treatment plans for them. Funds are now being raised for the creation of a database that can help children all around the world. Ava Bell, a 6-year-old survivor of neuroblastoma, joined Past International President Palmer on stage at Centennial Convention to thank LCIF for their support of the program. Before she exited the stage, Ava smiled as she said, “Keep raising money to help all children beat cancer like I did. Roar!”

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