The pandemic is driving huge change for the myriad groups that raise money for cancer, as gathering donors is simply not possible. A number of charities tell SurvivorNet that coronavirus poses an existential threat to their efforts.
Voices of Hope, a Boston-based all-volunteer music performance program that raises money for cancer research, found a solution to performing for audiences while maintaining social distancing. Since practices have been halted due to Covid-19, Voices of Hope decided to put on a virtual cabaret show where each member of the group recorded their portion of a performance in their home. Once each person’s contribution was added, the entire video was nearly three hours long.
Read MoreCancer Research Funding Slashed During Covid-19
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, cancer research may be in jeopardy as cuts in fundraising could impact years of future treatments. Cancer Research U.K. (CRUK) announced that Covid-19 has slashed fundraising across it’s research portfolio, and the organization estimates they will lose $45 million this year alone.
The cuts in cancer research funding are coming at a very bad time to say the least. Over recent years, the United States saw the rate of cancer deaths drop by 2.2% – largest ever single year drop. This progress has a lot to do with new developments in immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients.
“We actually developed methods for genetically modifying a patient’s own immune cells by putting in genes to cause them to express molecules that would enable them to recognize the cancer in a new way,” Dr. Steven Rosenberg, the Chief of Surgery at the National Cancer Institute, tells SurvivorNet.
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