Jack’s Angels Foundation Strives for National Awareness

With the help of local non-profit Jack’s Angels Foundation, legislation is being passed across the country to promote awareness for pediatric brain cancer. California State Assemblyman Scott Wilk, who was touched by the foundation’s story, authored ACR151 declaring May 25-31 DIPG Awareness Week in California. Pennsylvania followed suit, declaring February 22 DIPG Awareness Day.
Foundation President Janet Demeter started the foundation after she lost her son Jack to DIPG, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, an almost exclusively pediatric brain tumor responsible for most of the brain tumor deaths each year in children.
“I’m dedicating this one to my son Jack — it’s his seventh birthday — and to the little ones fighting right now to stay alive as their families watch on, helplessly.”
Demeter is also actively petitioning Governor Jerry Brown to declare a DIPG Awareness Day, to continue California leadership’s quest for a national awareness day.
“Almost every case of terminal pediatric cancer on the news this last year has been DIPG,” Demeter said.
In addition to changes in legislation, the foundation strives to promote awareness through other means. Multiple DIPG Awareness Runs were hosted in September, and each called for a national awareness day for DIPG.
“The ‘Run for a National Day for DIPG’ is, in part, an experiment to observe the power of an individual, and to speak out for those who are currently unable to do so about a disease that is decimating family’s lives, with very little hope—largely in silence!” Demeter said.
In 2013, the DIPG Research Fund was opened at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, for which the charity continues to raise awareness and funds.
“Only 4 percent of the national budget for cancer research benefits pediatric research,” Demeter said. “There needs to be a national awareness of this for change to occur. That’s why I’m running for a national awareness day for DIPG.”
For more information about this campaign, Jack’s Angels Foundation, or to sponsor running miles, visit www.RUNforDIPG.org or www.jacksangels.org.