At its annual meeting of more than 10,000 financial representatives and staff members last month, Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. announced a new multiyear philanthropic program to fight childhood cancer.

The effort, through the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, will include the use of the company's field force throughout the country to implement a range of community events and programs to raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer.

To kick off the program, Northwestern Mutual donated nearly $500,000 in grants to two leading nonprofit organizations focused on fighting childhood cancer and helping families, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) and Starlight Children's Foundation (SCF). Through these partnerships, Northwestern Mutual will start a range of programs and events in communities across the country.

"Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15 in the United States. And yet, childhood cancer research and services for families currently facing this disease are vastly and consistently underfunded," says Northwestern Mutual Chairman and CEO John Schlifske. "This effort will harness the spirit and passion of thousands of Northwestern Mutual field force members and employees to make a real and lasting impact."

The company is establishing the Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Research Fund and Family Travel Fund in partnership with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

The Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Research Fund will support ALSF's current initiatives to provide grants to support a wide range of research. That will include innovation grants to provide seed funding for experienced medical investigators with a novel and promising approach to finding causes and cures for childhood cancer, and young investigator grants to encourage the best and brightest young scientists to enter the field of pediatric cancer research. It also will include program infrastructure grants to speed up the process of enrolling children with cancer in clinical trials.

The Family Travel Fund will fund ALSF's efforts to assist families facing the financial costs of traveling to help their children receive life-saving treatments away from home. The fund will help pay for food, airfare, gas, and lodging.

In early 2013, it also will fund Great Escapes and Fun Centers around the nation through Starlight Children's Foundation.

In partnership with Starlight Children's Foundation, Northwestern Mutual will give families with a seriously ill child the chance to spend time together and try to escape their medical worries through Great Escapes. Northwestern Mutual also will give children and teens in hospitals a chance to play video games and watch movies through Starlight Fun Center mobile entertainment systems.

The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to build strong, vibrant communities that serve as a legacy to future generations. The foundation's giving is designed to create an impact on the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. In fiscal year 2012, the foundation will contribute $16.7 million to nonprofit organizations across the country.

Northwestern Mutual Life has $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, and the company and its subsidiaries offer a broad approach to financial planning that includes life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services.

Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co., limited-purpose federal savings bank; Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Co.; and Russell Investments.