Allied World Deepens its Commitment to St. Baldrick's Foundation

NEW YORK, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd (Allied World) is excited to announce a two-year financial commitment of $700,000 to the St. Baldrick's Foundation (St. Baldrick's). This significant donation will help to support the ongoing work of the foundation, as well as fund two research programs to help further the mission of St. Baldrick's "to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives."

The first program, led by Dr. Vanja Cabric at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, aims to identify immune cells combating hepatoblastoma and uncover the tumor's escape mechanisms, paving the way for targeted pediatric immunotherapies. The second program, led by Dr. Rahela Aziz-Bose at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will seek to understand the diets of cancer survivors and how 'food as medicine' initiatives can impact heart health.

"This commitment from Allied World has enabled the training of the next generation of researchers, the opening of high-impact clinical trials, and expanded children's access to those trials, provided support for critical infrastructure and enabled the advent of innovative treatments for childhood cancers such as immunotherapy," said St. Baldrick's CEO, Kathleen Ruddy. "Allied World has inspired many in the re/insurance industry to make children with cancer their priority, which is perhaps their greatest contribution – an army of allies for children with cancer." 

For the past 25 years Allied World has made significant donations to St. Baldrick's, with employees and executive leaders also volunteering their time and participating in fundraising events in Bermuda and the United States.

Lou Iglesias, President & CEO of Allied World, commented, "Allied World is committed to building long-term partnerships with organizations that support healthcare needs such as disease research, prevention and support programs. We are incredibly proud of our relationship with St. Baldrick's and look forward to supporting them as they continue to drive advancements in pediatric cancer treatments, bringing hope to countless families."

About St. Baldrick's Foundation

Every 2 minutes, a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., 1 in 5 will not survive. The St. Baldrick's Foundation, the largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants, has awarded more than $342 million to researchers to Conquer Kids' Cancer. When you give to St. Baldrick's, you don't just give to one hospital – you support every institution with the expertise to treat kids with cancer across the U.S. St. Baldrick's ensures that children fighting cancer now — and those diagnosed in the future — will have access to the most cutting-edge treatment, by supporting every stage of research, from new ideas in the lab to the training of the next generation of researchers, to lifesaving clinical trials. St. Baldrick's has played a role in virtually every advancement in the field over the past 25 years and remains essential in advancing progress and fostering innovation in childhood cancer research. Visit StBaldricks.org and help #ConquerKidsCancer.

About Allied World

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd, through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of insurance and reinsurance solutions. We operate under the brand Allied World and have supported clients, cedents and trading partners with thoughtful service and meaningful coverages since 2001. We are a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, and we benefit from a worldwide network of affiliated entities that allow us to think and respond in non-traditional ways. Our capital base is strong, our solutions anticipate rather than react to changing trends, and our teams are focused on establishing long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial.

SOURCE St. Baldrick's Foundation