Trust fund for children's cancer research does well in its first year

By all expectations, the trust fund created under Sahara's Law shouldn't be boasting stellar numbers in its first year.

The legislation allows Missouri taxpayers to donate $1 or more of their state income tax refunds to the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund via a check-off box on individual and corporate income tax forms. It went into effect at the start of 2014.

State Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, sponsored the bill after Cape Girardeau resident Amy Aldridge approached him with the idea. The law is named after her daughter, Sahara Aldridge, who died in 2007 at age 13 from a brainstem glioma -- a malignant brain tumor with no cure.

Aldridge was told not to get her hopes up and that such trust funds typically average about $11,000 annually. Sahara's Law also was new, leaving Amy Aldridge and her husband, Shannon Aldridge, wondering how many people would even be aware of the new opportunity to donate.

"We thought if we got $5,000, that would be a good place to start," Amy Aldridge said in a Friday interview.

Wallingford, too, was downplaying his expectations when he contacted the Missouri Department of Revenue a few weeks ago to find out exactly how much was donated to the trust fund in its first year. Like Aldridge, he anticipated a modest amount. But Wallingford heard a number he said he never would have imagined.

In its first year, Sahara's Law brought in $21,021.05. Aldridge said she burst into tears after hearing the total for the first time. The fact it featured the number 21, her daughter's basketball number, twice was all it took to convince Aldridge that Sahara had a hand in their endeavor.

"Against a lot of odds we had a lot of success," she said. "It far exceeded expectations."

The total also brought the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund into the top five trust funds in Missouri.

"If someone would've asked me how much I thought we would get this year, I don't know if I would've said half that number," Wallingford said Friday. "Not that it's not worthy, but it just takes a while for word-of-mouth [to spread]."

He said pediatric cancer research "is an area that's been ignored much too long." He credits Aldridge for the information and research she brought to his attention while lawmakers were trying to get the bill passed.

"She was the coach," Wallingford said. "She just handed me the football and said 'Wayne, run,' and pointed me in the right direction."

Cancer remains the No. 1 cause of death by disease in children. While survival rates in general have jumped to nearly 90 percent, the survival rate with rare cancers is much lower. The number of diagnosed cases per year also has not declined in nearly 20 years, according to national not-for-profit foundation CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

Funds donated to the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund go directly to CureSearch. Kelley McGregor, national director for individual giving, said the foundation was equally impressed by the numbers. The donations help them continue to fund novel research around the country, she said.

"We really want to fund clinical trials that will focus on treating children as opposed to treating adults," McGregor said.

Many children diagnosed with cancer receive the same treatments as adults and are simply adjusted for their smaller size. The problem with that method is it leaves many children with severe side effects -- which can include other cancers -- that affect them the rest of their lives.

"We believe only research will improve treatments for children and ultimately drive toward a cure," McGregor said.

Aldridge said her goal in the coming years is to continue to see Sahara's Law grow. Missouri's 1040A form features a limited number of trust funds included directly on the page, so those interested in donating need only write how much they wish to give. Taxpayers must enter a two-digit code to identify and donate to any other fund.

The Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund is not among those featured on the tax form, but Aldridge hopes to see that change. By spreading the word during tax filing season, she believes the fund could be even more successful next year.

Aldridge would ultimately like to see Sahara's Law inspire similar legislation in other states to further promote pediatric cancer awareness.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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How to donate

• Locate line No. 17 on the Missouri 1040A form
• Enter the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund*'s two-digit code, 18
• Enter the amount you wish to donate