St. Jude’s ALSAC applauds Trump’s cancer pledge
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s fundraising organization gave President Donald Trump a shoutout after his 2019 State of the Union address, which featured a cancer survivor and a pledge by Trump for new funding for childhood cancer research.
Trump praised special guest Grace Eline, a 10-year-old who completed chemotherapy last fall, during the address as “a great inspiration to everyone in this room.” Eline, a longtime St. Jude supporter, sat next to first lady Melania Trump for the event.
“Every birthday since she was 4, Grace asked her friends to donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital,” Trump said. “She did not know that one day she might be a patient herself.”
Eline was diagnosed with the germcell brain tumor germinoma at 9 years old. In May 2018, she began treatment at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, the Daily Record reported.
Music helped her make it through extensive testing, and Eline even comforted her mother during the process, according to the American Childhood Cancer Organization.
“At the same time, she rallied her community and raised more than $40,000 for the fight against cancer,” Trump said.
During the summer, Eline was also able to make it out to Metlife Stadium where the New York Jets play and was named an honorary team captain, the Daily Record reported.
Eline finished her treatment last fall and shows no evidence of brain cancer today, according to the White House.
After sharing Eline’s story, Trump said his proposed budget will call for $500 million over the next decade to fund childhood cancer research.
In a tweet, St. Jude’s fundraising and awareness organization ALSAC said it appreciates Trump for boosting awareness and “pledging increased funding for childhood cancer, the leading cause of death by disease in U.S. kids.”
Eline said in a “Fox & Friends” interview on Wednesday her State of the Union experience was “really cool” and expressed her happiness for a push for more childhood cancer research funding.
“I think it’s pretty amazing that (Trump) would do that, because it makes me feel really good that people would just take their time and try and help more people,” she said during the “Fox & Friends” interview.
The ACCO named Eline a “Gold Ribbon Hero” in October. The recognition celebrates those “on the front lines of childhood cancer,” according to the organization.
“Grace is a model of strength and perseverance and an inspiration to everyone in the childhood cancer community and beyond,” ACCO CEO Ruth Hoffman said in a statement. “Her attendance at this evening’s speech reflects the growing awareness of childhood cancer as a health priority across the U.S. and around the world.”
Highlighting St. Jude isn’t anything new for the Trump family. St. Jude has called Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, a “longtime and devoted supporter” of the hospital.
The Eric Trump Foundation, now known as Curetivity, says it has raised more than $22.5 million for St. Jude. Eric Trump visited Memphis last May to attend a memorial service at St. Jude for 10-year-old cancer victim Colin Hayward Toland.
Max Garland covers Fedex, logistics and health care for The Commercial Appeal. Reach him at max.garland@ commercialappeal.com or 901-529-2651 and on Twitter @Maxgarland Types.