In recent years, funding for childhood cancer research has become a growing concern. As government budgets tighten, pediatric cancer research has been severely underfunded, even as diagnoses rise. Childhood cancer research is receiving fewer resources than needed, and this is a grave injustice. There is no valid reason for continued funding cuts. In fact, research into childhood cancer deserves more attention. Childhood cancer should be getting more funding, not less.
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under fifteen. Yet, funding for research is grossly inadequate. Adult cancers like breast and lung cancer receive billions, while childhood cancer receives only a penny of each dollar donated. It is troubling that children’s lives are prioritized so much less and get so little attention. Think of it: how many times have you seen a pink-out game, versus a gold-out game?
One reason childhood cancer research should be prioritized is the lack of treatment options. Unlike adult cancers, many childhood cancers are biologically distinct and require different research approaches. Yet, the funding shortage means fewer clinical trials and treatments are being developed specifically for children. A child diagnosed with cancer is often subjected to adult-based treatments that are toxic and harsh on young bodies. The long-term effects are still not fully understood, and many survivors face lifelong health challenges. The treatment is so harsh that many children face secondary cancers from it, or pass away from the treatment itself, not the cancer. This is a cruel risk children should not face. The government must ensure research is conducted to develop treatments that are more effective and less damaging.
Additionally, the psychological toll on children and their families is unimaginable. Cancer does not simply impact the child but also their siblings, parents, extended family and friends. It disrupts education, childhood development and every aspect of life. These families deserve to know the government is fighting alongside them to find better treatments and cures. Instead of stripping away funding, lawmakers should increase investment in childhood cancer research to ensure that more children survive and thrive after cancer.
The financial argument against funding childhood cancer research is invalid. Yes, we live in a time of budget constraints, but the cost of doing nothing is far higher. Cancer care for children is expensive, and when there is inadequate research to develop better treatments, the costs rise. Beyond the financial impact, there is a greater moral cost—every child who suffers unnecessarily, every family left without hope and every future lost. By failing to adequately fund childhood cancer research, we are resigning ourselves to a future where more children suffer and die from this preventable tragedy.
The government is in a unique position to make a difference. Federal funding for medical research accelerates breakthroughs, reduces financial burdens on families and allows for the development of new therapies and cures. But only if resources are allocated. Without proper funding, innovation stands still. Treatment advancements are delayed and the lives of children hang in the balance. Is this really the best we can give them? I think we can do more. Americans spend more money on Starbucks in just three days than the government spends on childhood cancer for a whole year.
Childhood cancer research is a matter of life and death. There is no justification for cutting funding for a disease that affects thousands of children every year. The government’s responsibility to its citizens, particularly its most vulnerable, is to ensure every child diagnosed with cancer has the opportunity to survive and lead a fulfilling life. Cutting funding for childhood cancer research is a failure of that responsibility, and it cannot continue.
Now is the time for action, not tomorrow. We cannot afford to wait for a future where childhood cancer continues to take young lives unnecessarily. The government must step up, allocate more resources to childhood cancer research and commit to finding cures. The lives of our children depend on it. These children are our future. They deserve more than the disgraceful, pitiful four percent that they are given.
