Cancer research in children and young people is more important than ever. As young bodies grow, the effects of current treatments can have long-lasting impacts, making it essential to develop kinder targeted treatments and excellent supportive care. At CCLG, we fund research that spans the entire cancer experience - from innovative treatments to quality-of-life improvements.
Since launching our research strategy in 2015, we’ve gone from funding a few projects to leading one of the UK’s largest childhood cancer research networks. By 2021, our research impact report highlighted 125 projects and over £15.5 million in funding.
Over the past two years, we’ve continued to invest in research. We’ve funded ground-breaking projects to develop kinder treatments, improve diagnosis and support patients and families better.
Let’s look back on the last three years and see how your support has made, and continues to make a difference for children and young people with cancer.
How much research have we funded?
Since 2022, over £14.5 million in research has been funded through CCLG. The total amount of research funded through the CCLG Research Funding Network since 2016 is now at £29.85 million – and we’re not done yet. We are already accepting more research grant applications, so we hope to reach the £30 million milestone very soon!
Who have we worked with?
Cancer in under 25s is a global challenge, and we are determined to work together to tackle it. By collaborating, we can pool expertise and direct resources to where they are needed most. That's why we're proud to lead the CCLG Research Funding Network, bringing together charities with a shared goal for a brighter future.
Since 2022, we have worked with partners like Candlelighters, Young Lives vs Cancer, The Harley Staples Cancer Trust and Alice’s Arc. We offer our research expertise to select the most impactful projects, manage their progress, and support expert researchers.
Our key partner since 2016 has been The Little Princess Trust (LPT). With their latest projects, announced in August 2024, the LPT has funded over £25 million of research through the CCLG Research Funding Network.
Sarah Evans, CCLG’s Head of Research, said:
Our work with The Little Princess Trust shows how effective CCLG’s research network can be. By combining our expertise with their funds and passion, we’re advancing research that truly matters. It’s a great example of how teamwork leads to real progress in treating childhood cancer.
Special Named Fund families are another vital part of our research funding community. They raise money in support, memory, or celebration of their children – often for research into their child’s specific type of cancer. Together, they have raised over four million pounds in total. Since 2022, their hard work and dedication has funded 14 new research projects, ranging from a rare brain and spinal tumour to the most common childhood leukaemias.
What have we funded?
We believe that every child deserves a safe and effective treatment, no matter how rare their cancer is. That’s why, alongside funding research into the most common cancers like leukaemia and brain tumours, we have more than doubled the number of projects into rare cancers over the past three years. This included funding our first project into Langerhans cell histiocytosis, an unusual cancer-like disease that can be life-threatening for some children, with the help of our amazing Special Named Fund families.
Around half of the 83 new projects aim to develop or improve safer or more effective treatments for young cancer patients. Another quarter are looking at the underpinnings of how their chosen cancer works – the first step to being able to fight relapse, develop treatments, or even uncover the root causes of that cancer.
We have also funded five projects that aim to reduce the effects of cancer treatment, both during and after, and to improve quality of life for patients.
What impact has it had?
With so many amazing research projects, all working on such promising and ground-breaking science, it’s impossible to adequately demonstrate the full impact of our funding. Here are a few of the highlights from the past three years…
Funded by the LPT through CCLG, Dr Timothy Ritzmann announced for the first time in September 2023 that there were eight types of immune cells hiding inside a type of childhood brain tumour called ependymoma. He said:
This is important because only by really understanding the roles of the different cell types in the tumour, how they talk to one another and the way they individually contribute to the growth of the tumour can we design more targeted treatments, which not only are more effective but also kinder.
Dr Timothy Ritzmann
Professor Rob Wynn’s research established a new trial treatment for children with high-risk leukaemia who previously had no hope of recovery. The GRANS study, published in May 2023, tested a new method of stem cell transplant and showed extremely positive results. Rob’s LPT project ran alongside the trial, aiming to understand exactly how the treatment works and how to improve it. This will be vital when developing the treatment further for wider use.
Professor Rob Wynn
In September 2022, we ran a special visit with rhabdomyosarcoma Special Named Fund families to meet Professor Janet Shipley at the Institute of Cancer Research. These Special Named Funds play a crucial role in funding targeted research, directly supporting projects that matter most to families. The lab tour and talk clearly showed how families can inspire and improve research.
The impact that families and people with lived experience can have on research cannot be overstated. It is vital, ensuring that research stays focused on the needs of children and young people. This is a key theme of our ongoing research, and we’re incredibly proud to see how these collaborations are driving real change. Together, we’re moving towards a brighter future for every child and young person facing cancer.
Read next: ‘My work experience at a childhood brain tumour research lab’ with college student Ellie Brattan
Ellie Ellicott is CCLG’s Research Communication Executive.
She is using her lifelong fascination with science to share the world of childhood cancer research with CCLG’s fantastic supporters.
You can find Ellie on X: @EllieW_CCLG