Ohio State student's cancer journey fuels passion to give back

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children in the United States and a survivor who goes to Ohio State wants to help tackle the problem.

Morgan Loudon received devastating news at just 8. She was diagnosed with a rhabdoid tumor behind her left kidney, an aggressive childhood cancer and was given a 20% chance to live. "For about a year I went through ten rounds of chemotherapy and a month of radiation with various surgeries," Loudon said. 

During her cancer journey, Loudon got involved with St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants. According to Jane Hoppen, Director of Family Relations, the charity supports the most promising child cancer research to give kids with cancer the best opportunity for cures and a life free of treatment side effects.

"For more than 25 years, St. Baldrick's grants have been part of the most promising breakthroughs in childhood cancer research," Hoppen said. "And since 2005, St Baldrick's volunteers and donors have enabled the foundation to fund more than $354 million in childhood cancer research."

According to the World Health Organization, more than 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. It claims the lives of one in five children diagnosed in the U.S. Since 2006, St. Baldrick's has granted more than $16 million in childhood cancer research to institutions in Ohio with $4.4 million of that going to the Columbus area.

Since 2002, more than 24,000 people in Ohio have shaved their heads to raise money for cancer research at more than 570 events, raising over $15.8 million. "It's an issue that's not being addressed," Loudon said. "There's not enough funding and that's where St. Baldrick's comes in. They try to bridge that gap in funding."

Loudon was just named one of five ambassadors in the country for St. Baldrick's. Each ambassador represents the more than 13 main types of childhood cancers, helping to highlight the urgent need for funding research to advance childhood cancer treatments and save lives.

"Kids are so much more than just a cancer diagnosis," Hoppen said. "That doesn't define them. It is certainly part of who they are, but it is not all that they are. And so we want to have an opportunity for ambassadors to really talk about their full life and everything that they are doing to continue to improve the world in which they live."

Those who donate to St. Baldrick's aren't giving to just one institution, but more than 383 institutions that are treating kids in the U.S., several of which are in central Ohio. "Hard things happen," Loudon said. "They happen throughout your whole life. My dad always told me, things don't get easier, you just handle hard better and I would really say that cancer has taught me that if anything."

This new role will allow Loudon a platform to advocate for cancer research funding through making videos, writing blogs, and sharing her story. Next month, she has the opportunity to visit Washington D.C. to speak with members of Congress about the importance of childhood cancer research funding and other initiatives on the federal level. 

She is very involved both on and off campus at Ohio State and will graduate early in May with plans to teach science with Teach for America in Colorado before pursuing a career as a physician assistant. Through Loudon's journey with St. Baldrick's, her mom has also become more involved. She now works for them full-time.

The work is not done in the fight to conquer childhood cancers. Everyone has the opportunity to get involved and save lives. To learn more about St. Baldrick's and how you can help make a difference visit here.