MILWAUKEE, March 11, 2015 – Andy Hammond of Northwestern Mutual-Indianapolis will present a $40,000 quality of care and research grant to Riley Children’s Foundation and Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research, as part of Northwestern Mutual Foundation’s Childhood Cancer Community Grant Program. The grants are being awarded through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), Northwestern Mutual’s nonprofit partner dedicated to finding new treatments and ultimately cures for all kids with cancer.

“We are so thankful for this generous grant,” said Dr. Karen Moody, leader of Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health’s Integrative Medicine and Palliative Care Team. “This support will allow us to cultivate a complementary medicine program aimed at optimizing quality of life and minimizing the pain, stress, and suffering of children with cancer and their families.” 

Each year, approximately 364 cases of cancer and 53 cancer-related deaths occur among Indiana children ages 0-19, according to the Indiana State Cancer Registry. Riley Hospital for Children treats more than 80 percent of Indiana children diagnosed with cancer. The Northwestern Mutual Indianapolis office has contributed a total of $123,000 locally, funding 2,460 hours of life-saving research.   

About the Childhood Cancer Community Grants
The grants will provide critical funding for local projects aimed at alleviating the impact of cancer on children.  

The Integrative Medicine and Palliative Care Team (Riley IMPACT) at Riley Children's Foundation will receive a $20,000 grant for program support involving yoga and massage therapies that lessen the symptom burden of pain, nausea and/or dyspnea (shortness of breath) among children with cancer. This practice is based on published evidence by Riley’s IMPACT leader, Dr. Karen Moody.  

The Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research, will receive a $20,000 grant for Yan Liu, Ph.D, associate professor of Pediatrics, and his team to research PRL-2 in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Researchers at the Wells Center have been studying the role of PRL2 in adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia, which is aggressive and unpredictable, and seek to extend their findings to children to establish PRL2 as a therapeutic target for pediatric relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia has been a major clinical challenge with most of the children unable to survive their relapsed disease. Funds will accelerate the research and facilitate the development of clinical grade PRL2 inhibitors for pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  

“Northwestern Mutual has a legacy of helping families in our community. We understand that childhood cancer takes an enormous financial and emotional toll on children and families,” said Hammond. “Our goal is to alleviate some of the stress accompanying their experience and help advance research. I’m humbled to deliver this grant to fund these important studies.”

Nationally, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children younger than 15 in the U.S., and Northwestern Mutual is committed to accelerating the search for cures to childhood cancers and to providing support to families battling the disease. In total, Northwestern Mutual has raised nearly $7 million to help ease the financial and emotional impacts of childhood cancer on families and children, and help advance research for life-saving projects. 

About Riley Children’s Foundation
Riley Children’s Foundation supports Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Camp Riley and the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home. As Indiana’s only comprehensive hospital dedicated exclusively to the care of children, Riley Hospital has provided compassionate care, support and comfort to children and their families since 1924. Each year children from all 92 Indiana counties turn to Riley Hospital and its regional clinics throughout the state more than 300,000 times. Riley Hospital’s partnership with Indiana University Health and its strong affiliation with the Indiana University School of Medicine make Riley Hospital the leader in pediatric care in the state and the region. For more information, visit RileyKids.org. 

About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation 
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $100 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 475 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org. 

About Northwestern Mutual Foundation 
The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in need. The Foundation has given nearly $270 million since its inception in 1992 and is designed to create lasting impact in the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. We accomplish this by combining financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership and convening community partners to deliver the best outcomes. Our efforts are focused nationally on curing childhood cancer, and locally on education, neighborhoods and making our hometown of Milwaukee a great destination.

About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for nearly 160 years. Our financial representatives build relationships with clients through a distinctive planning approach that integrates risk management with wealth accumulation, preservation and distribution. With more than $217 billion in assets, $26 billion in revenues and more than $1.5 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.2 million people who rely on us for insurance and investment solutions, including life, disability and long-term care insurance; annuities; trust services; mutual funds; and investment advisory products and services.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company.