Research Saves Kids’ Lives

Seattle Children’s is a global leader, driving life-changing breakthroughs for over 200 childhood diseases. But federal funding cuts are putting it all at risk.

Donate Now to Save Lives

Every day, Seattle Children’s scientists fight tirelessly to discover lifesaving treatments and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible. Without steady federal funding, this hope is in jeopardy — and so are the lives of the children who depend on us.

Funding is needed to continue life-saving research for children.

Without stable funding, breakthrough research will stall. Top scientists will be harder to recruit and retain. And kids will wait longer for the clinical trials and advancements in care they may desperately need.

60% of all research at Seattle Children’s was sponsored by federal funding in 2024.

200 NIH-funded clinical trials at Seattle Children’s are at risk of being delayed from proposed funding cuts.

2,281 dedicated researchers and team members rely on funding to continue life-saving research.

Children make up 21% to 25% of the U.S. and global population — but they represent 100% of our future. Cuts to NIH funding are not just budget decisions. They have real and immediate consequences — for children.

— Vittorio Gallo, PhD, senior vice president and chief scientific officer

Kids Can Be Kids, Thanks to Seattle Children’s Research

At Seattle Children’s, kids have access to some of the most advanced treatments and clinical trials at any children’s hospital in the country.

A girl in a wheelchair holds an easter egg

“Seattle Children’s has truly helped us get [Emree] to where she is today. Her doctors, on top of all the work they do seeing patients and performing surgeries, have the heart to do research to figure out a way to help these kids who have no other options.”

— Brandy, whose daughter Emree has been seizure-free thanks to a Seattle Children’s clinical trial experimental medication.

Meet Emree

A Seattle Children's researcher holds a boy giving a peace sign

“I don't have the words to express what Children’s commitment to research means. Without it, things would look so different for us, for Gavin.”

— Ashlee, whose son Gavin is now a thriving kindergartener and has quadrupled his life expectancy after participating in a Seattle Children’s clinical trial.

Meet Gavin

A girl wearing glasses holds a sign

Olive Ray is a spirited fifth grader who was diagnosed at just 22 months old with an optic nerve glioma, a non-cancerous brain tumor.

After completing two years on a clinical trial experimental treatment, Olive is now off treatment for the first time in five years.

Meet Olive

10 Ways Federally Funded Research at Seattle Children’s Is Saving Lives

A girl is examined by a Seattle Children's provider

1. Revolutionizing the Fight Against Childhood Cancer

Since 1958, Seattle Children’s has led breakthrough research in childhood cancer. Our physicians lead numerous national pediatric cancer steering committees, clinical trials and research consortiums — like the Children’s Oncology Group, the largest pediatric oncology consortium in the world.

A mother and child chat with a Seattle Children's researcher

2. Increasing Life Expectancy for Children with Cystic Fibrosis

The pioneering research of Bonnie Ramsey, MD, led to FDA approval of three new pediatric cystic fibrosis medications. These breakthroughs have dramatically increased life expectancy and quality of life for children living with this disease.

3. Setting the Standard for Bicycle Helmets

The research of Frederick Rivara, MD, MPH, sparked a revolution in bicycle helmet safety 25 years ago. His findings showed helmets prevent serious head injuries, leading to new safety laws and widespread awareness. Thanks to his work, helmet use is now the norm—saving countless young lives.

A Seattle Children's patient talks with a provider in a hallway

4. Unraveling the Causes of Crohn’s Disease

In 2013, David Suskind, MD, led the first FDA-approved fecal microbiota transplant study to treat children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The treatment improved symptoms in 70% of participants, opening doors for more personalized and effective therapies.

5. Developing Lifesaving Feeding Tools for Newborns

Christy McKinney, PhD, MPH, and Michael Cunningham, MD, PhD, invented the Neonatal Intuitive Feeding Technology (NIFTY) cup, a simple, lifesaving feeding device for babies with cleft lip or palate. Distributed globally, including in Malawi and Tanzania, the NIFTY cup has improved survival rates for vulnerable newborns.

6. Reducing Invasive Surgeries for Hemangiomas

Jonathan Perkins, DO, was the first in the Northwest to use a blood pressure medication to shrink hemangiomas, avoiding surgery in about 60% of cases. Partnering with Mark Majesky, PhD, who discovered a biomarker to monitor treatment success even for internal tumors, their work has reduced hemangioma surgeries by 75%.

A Seattle Children's researcher examines a sample

7. Leading the Way in Cell, Gene Therapy and Editing

As world leaders in gene therapy and editing, cellular therapy and protein therapeutics, Seattle Children’s researchers are closer than ever to revolutionizing treatment for hundreds of rare and common genetic disorders, curing disease at the source.

8. Advancing Treatments to Conquer Malaria

Using genetic engineering, Stefan Kappe, PhD, in collaboration with Sanaria, developed a vaccine that trains the immune system to fight malaria early — before the parasite causes illness or spreads. This promising vaccine has shown 100% protection in preclinical models.

9. Leading National Efforts in Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care Research

The Treuman Katz Center, the nation's first dedicated to pediatric bioethics and palliative care, leads efforts to improve care, communication and decision-making for seriously ill children and their families.

A Seattle Children's researcher in a lab

10. Offering Hope for Curing Dravet Syndrome

Franck Kalume, PhD, has transformed the understanding and treatment of severe pediatric epilepsy through gene therapies and innovative technologies. Most recently, his team and collaborators discovered a groundbreaking genetic approach that could potentially cure this rare, life-threatening condition.

What’s at Stake When Research Funding is Cut

Advocating for Future Grown-Ups

On April 30, a Seattle Children’s patient family testified before the U.S. Sen. Appropriations Committee in Washington, D.C., sharing how Seattle Children’s NIH-supported research contributed to her child’s recovery from stage 4 cancer.

Federal Research Funding Roundtable With Senator Patty Murray

On May 2, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Sen. Appropriations Committee, held a roundtable discussion at Building Cure highlighting why the investments the federal government makes in biomedical research are so vital and what's at stake for patients and families.

Donate to Research to Save Kids’ Lives Now

With your help, Seattle Children’s can continue to support our researchers, recruit top scientific talent, invest in state-of-the-art technology and maintain programs that directly impact the quality of care Seattle Children’s provides for children.

Donate Now