GURNEE, Ill., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, more than 12,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, many of these children will die because of what a recent Institute of Medicine Report calls "a dearth of funding for pediatric cancer research."

Unfortunately, little is being said or done about pediatric cancer. Until now.

Because of this severe lack of Federal funding, grassroots organizations like The Super Jake Foundation, a national 501c3 nonprofit foundation headquartered near Chicago, have been created to raise funds to support pediatric cancer research in the hopes of reversing these alarming trends.

Founded just two years ago by the Widman family of Gurnee, Ill., The Super Jake Foundation was formed in honor of Jake Robert Widman who died of a rare form of pediatric cancer called neuroblastoma in May 2005 when he was just four years old.

"On the day he died, we promised Jake that we would spend our lives trying to find a cure for the horrible disease that took his little life," said Ann Widman, president and founder, The Super Jake Foundation. "We weren't able to save our Jake but we will continue to work to find a cure in the hopes of saving other children."

With the help of key supporters like Ronald McDonald House Charities, Abbott, TAP Pharmaceuticals and Takeda, as well as many individual donors and supporters, The Super Jake Foundation has already raised more than $700,000 and is funding five pediatric cancer research programs throughout the country. But more needs to be done.

"Unlike breast cancer and other more common cancers, no one talks about pediatric cancer. I think parents are scared into silence, hoping this won't happen to their child," said Widman. "But it can happen and it does.... striking 12,000 of our children each year. We need more people and companies to recognize this and help us to do something to stop it."

The Super Jake Foundation is looking for more sponsors and supporters
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