The Max Cure Foundation

Sean Marriott is 7-years-old and the youngest of 3 children of Kelly Marriott and her ex-husband, Chris. Sean, with his brothers, was enjoying the summer on a family vacation at the beach, looking forward to returning to school in September

CAC2 began to take shape in 2011 to bring many different stakeholders from the childhood cancer community together to collectively raise awareness, create collaborative efforts among member organizations and reduce duplication. Max Cure immediately saw the benefit of joining in this endeavor and today stands with close to 100 other childhood cancer related organizations and individual advocates working toward the same fight against childhood cancer. Since 2017 when Jonathan embarked upon reshaping Max Cure’s research direction through a bold and aggressive path, our participation in collaborative groups like the CAC2 research interest group have allowed us to further ensure that Max Cure’s research funding is laser focused. We feel strongly that our participation in groups like CAC2 provide the platform for our work to reach more support and create faster results as we continue to fight childhood cancer.

On June 20, 2018, Executive Director Jonathan Agin provided open public comments before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pediatric Oncology Subcommittee of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee on the issue of the implementation of the RACE for Children Act signed into law in August 2017. As Jonathan explained, given the lack of drugs approved by the FDA over the past twenty years, the RACE Act provides an opportunity to accelerate new approvals and make an impact against forms of childhood cancer, like DIPG a terminal brain tumor that took his daughter. Jonathan applauded the stakeholders including the FDA, clinicians, the National Cancer Institute and advocates for the passage of the RACE Act while at the same time urging for those gathered to create unambiguous regulatory guidelines aimed at bringing pediatric cancer drug development in line with so many new and promising scientific discoveries. Through Vice Chairman Richard Plotkin and Executive Director Jonathan Agin, Max Cure is at the forefront of the childhood cancer community effectively advocating for positive change in the fight against childhood cancer.

Max Cure Foundation will use these grant funds to help families in these areas that experience emergency financial situations during the course of their child’s cancer treatment. This grant allows Max Cure to expand the avenues of financial assistance provided through our Roar Beyond Barriers program by creating a channel for families that are not part of Max Cure’s unique systemic support program to request aide for emergency needs. Given the significant number of families with a child on active cancer treatment, the number of requests that the Max Cure Foundation receives for emergency assistance is far greater than our capacity allows us to assist” noted Executive Director Jonathan Agin. Funds from this grant are available to families that live in Essex, Morris, Bergen, Somerset and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey with a child in active cancer treatment experiencing emergency needs.