Childrens Cancer Research Fund

CHILDREN'S CANCER RESEARCH FUND IMPROVES THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND THEIR FAMILIES.

RESEARCH AND GRANTING PROGRAMS:IN 2023, CCRF AWARDED OVER $6 MILLION IN RESEARCH AND PROGRAM GRANTS DESIGNED TO FUND THE BEST, MOST INNOVATIVE RESEARCH TO ADVANCE TOWARD BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENTS FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER, IN THESE AREAS OF FOCUS: - HARD TO TREAT CANCERS: WE PRIORITIZE RESEARCH FOR CANCERS WITH PERSISTENTLY LOW SURVIVAL RATES OR THOSE SHOWING LITTLE IMPROVEMENT OVER THE YEARS. THIS ENCOMPASSED HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE AND OFTEN FATAL CANCERS SUCH AS BRAIN TUMORS, SARCOMAS, AND CERTAIN TYPES OF LEUKEMIAS. IN 2023, WE ALLOCATED $1.3 MILLION TOWARDS A RESEARCH INITIATIVE AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA, FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS ON NEUROBLASTOMA. COLLABORATING WITH ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE, WE CONTRIBUTED TO A $1.5 MILLION OSTEOSARCOMA SUPER GRANT AWARDED TO A RESEARCH AT NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE. MOREOVER, WE PROVIDED $1.0 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. - SURVIVORSHIP: MANY SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD CANCERS GRAPPLE WITH ENDURING CONSEQUENCES OF CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIATION, OR SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS, INCLUDING HEARING IMPAIRMENT, CARDIAC ISSUES, AND INFERTILITY. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVELY MANAGING POST-CANCER CONDITIONS IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG-ADULTS, AIMING TO MITIGATE OR ERADICATE THESE LONG-TERM EFFECTS, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING NOVEL IMMUNE-BASED AND TARGETED THERAPIES DEVELOPED IN RECENT YEARS. NOTEWORTHY IN 2023, WE GRANTED $250,000 TO A RESEARCHER AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS, CONCENTRATING ON LONG-TERM COGNITIVE OUTCOMES IN SURVIVORS OF PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMORS. - HEALTH DISPARITIES: DISPARITIES IN CANCER OUTCOMES AMONG CHILDREN ARE INFLUENCED BY FACTORS SUCH AS RACE, ETHNICITY, AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND. OUR FUNDING SUPPORTS RESEARCH AIMED AT UNCOVERING THE ROOT CAUSES OF THESE DISPARITIES AND DEVISING INTERVENTIONS TO RECTIFY THEM. IN 2023, WE ALLOCATED $250,000 TO RESEARCH BEING DONE AT DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE, DEDICATED TO INVESTIGATING POVERTY-INDUCED DRUG RESISTANCE IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA (ALL). - EMERGING SCIENTISTS: WE IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT EXCEPTIONALLY SKILLED RESEARCHERS AT THE OUTSET OF THEIR CAREERS, AIDING THEM IN ESTABLISHING THEIR LABORATORIES AND CONDUCTING PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS. THIS SUPPORT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR THEM TO SECURE THE ESSENTIAL FEDERAL GRANTS NECESSARY TO ADVANCE NOVEL THERAPIES AND POTENTIAL CURES FOR PEDIATRIC CANCERS. NOTABLY, WE GRANTED $200,000 TO RESEARCHERS AT VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY AND ST. JUDE RESEARCH HOSPITAL FOR THEIR EFFORTS FOCUSED IN OSTEOSARCOMA RESEARCH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TARGETED THERAPIES. - SUSTAINING PROMISING RESEARCH INITIATIVES: RECOGNIZING THE POTENTIAL OF TWO PREVIOUSLY SUPPORTED RESEARCH ENDEAVORS THAT HAVE EXHIBITED ENCOURAGING RESULTS, WE EXTENDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THE INVESTIGATORS, ENABLING THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR MOMENTUM. A TOTAL OF $375,000 WAS GRANTED TO RESEARCHERS AT DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO, SUPPORTING THEIR ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO SARCOMA CANCERS AND RELAPSED LIVER CANCER. THIS EXTENSION ENSURE THE CONTINUITY AND PROGRESSION OF THEIR VITAL WORK IN THESE CRITICAL AREAS OF STUDY.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM:IN ADDITION TO FUNDING RESEARCH AND OFFERING SUPPORT PROGRAMS, WE GENERATE AWARENESS ABOUT THE NEED FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH AND PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR RESEARCHERS. WE REACH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND IN-KIND TELEVISION AND PRINT ADVERTISING TO SHARE THE STORIES OF KIDS, FAMILIES, AND RESEARCHERS. WE'RE ALSO PROUD TO SUPPORT THE CANCER SURVIVORSHIP CONFERENCE, THE MARK E. NESBIT LECTURESHIP IN PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY, AND THE NORMA K.C. RAMSAY, MD, DISTINGUISHED VISITING PROFESSOR LECTURESHIP SERIES. THESE BRING NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CHILDHOOD CANCER EXPERTS TO MINNESOTA TO SPEAK ON CURRENT SURVIVORSHIP, CLINICAL AND RESEARCH ISSUES, AS WELL AS BUILD NEW RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS.

FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS:OUR DEDICATED FAMILY PROGRAMS IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF KIDS AND FAMILIES AS THEY NAVIGATE THE DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES OF CANCER TREATMENT, SURVIVORSHIP, OR BEREAVEMENT. THESE OFFERINGS INCLUDE: - THE BIG DREAMS TOUR - A CREATIVE OUTLET THAT REDUCES ISOLATION BY LEVERAGING AR, VR, AND XR TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAME TOGETHER MONTHLY AND CREATE THEIR OWN ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO, VIDEO GAME, OR VFX VIDEO; INCLUDING COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE THEIR CREATIONS ARE BROUGHT TO LIFE IN COLORADO, FLORIDA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, AND NEW JERSEY. - CAMP NORDEN - IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL FIVE-DAY SUMMER CAMPS ARE DESIGNED ESPECIALLY TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND SUPPORT FRIENDSHIP-BUILDING, SOLIDARITY WITH PEERS, INCREASED SELF-ESTEEM, AND A FEELING OF INDEPENDENCE. THESE CAMPS FOSTER COMMUNITY AND ELIMINATE FINANCIAL OR GEOGRAPHICAL BARRIERS TO ATTEND.