HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Your Voice Can Change a Life

Children with brain tumors deserve the best possible chance at life — and that means fighting for them in Washington, D.C. As a founding member of the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation works alongside advocates, families, and lawmakers to advance legislation that opens doors to better treatments, faster approvals, and greater access to care for kids across the country.

Our advocates are the reason laws get passed. Here’s how you can join us — and here’s what we’ve already accomplished together.

You don’t need a law degree or a political background to make a difference. What you need is a story, a passion, and a few minutes of your time. Here are three ways to take action right now.

THE IMPACT WE’VE MADE TOGETHER
And Together, We’re Changing the Law

Advocacy works. Because of the relentless dedication of PBTF advocates — families, survivors, caregivers, and supporters like you — Congress has heard our community’s call. Here’s what we’ve accomplished together.

The Give Kids a Chance Act (GKACA)
Giving More Kids a Fighting Chance

The Give Kids a Chance Act (S. 932 / H.R. 1262) is landmark legislation that directly targets one of the greatest unmet needs in pediatric oncology: the development of new, life-saving treatments for children with cancer and rare diseases.

What It Does:

• Combination Therapies: Grants the FDA new authority to direct pediatric cancer trials for combination drugs — the approach most likely to yield new cures for kids with cancer.

• Rare Pediatric Priority Review Vouchers: Reauthorizes this critical program through FY 2029, which incentivizes pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs for rare pediatric diseases that might otherwise be overlooked.

• Stronger Enforcement: Gives the FDA the same authority to enforce against companies that don’t complete required pediatric study commitments as they have for other post-market studies.

Why It Matters: After years of hard work from advocates in the childhood cancer community, this bill passed Congress and was signed into law in early 2026. Thanks to the efforts of advocates like you, this import legislation will lead to new breakthroughs for children battling brain tumors.

The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act (AKACA)
No Child Should Wait for the Care They Need

More than half of children in the United States rely on Medicaid or CHIP for their health coverage. But when a child with cancer needs to see a specialist in another state, the current system creates dangerous, bureaucratic delays — and for a child with a brain tumor, delays can be devastating.

The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act (S. 752 / H.R. 1509) fixes this by creating a streamlined, opt-in enrollment pathway that allows qualified out-of-state providers to treat Medicaid and CHIP patients without getting tangled in each state’s separate paperwork process.

What It Does:

• Creates an alternative enrollment pathway so providers already in good standing can quickly enroll in multiple state Medicaid programs.

• Removes unnecessary administrative barriers that delay time-sensitive care for children with complex medical needs.

• Does not change state authority over out-of-state care authorization or provider payment — it simply eliminates the red tape that slows access.

Why It Matters: Specialized pediatric brain tumor care is not available in every state. Children and families are already crossing state lines to access the right expertise, clinical trials, and care teams. The AKACA ensures that when a child’s life depends on seeing the right specialist, Medicaid paperwork won’t stand in the way.

Bipartisan Support: At the time the bill was signed into law, the legislation recieved 104 co-sponsors in the House and 45 co-sponsors in the Senate. It was one of the most bi-partisan pieces of legislation that passed during the 119th session of Congress.

BY THE NUMBERS
Our Advocates Are Making History

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