Project Funding

The Children’s Cancer Foundation together with its partners has funded 16 projects in the 2022/2023 year. Funding includes salaries for hospital and research staff, laboratory consumables and family resources.

In 2022/2023, we spent over $813,000 supporting the following projects and have also played a leadership role in the mobilisation of $3.2 million through the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Sonsortium to be spent on childhood cancer research.

Collectively, the Foundation’s impact on project funding in 2023 is $4,053,000.

Clinical Research

Hudson Monash Paediatric Precision Medicine Program – Phase II

Focus: Brain cancer, central nervous system tumours and Wilm’s tumour
Institute: Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash Children’s Hospital
Recipient: Prof. Ron Firestein
Funding: $4,967,221 over 2 years

Overview: The program utilises living organoids developed from individual patient’s tumour cells to conduct functional genomic analysis to identify new therapeutic treatments and to repurpose existing treatments.

Learn more about the program here.

PhD Scholars Development Program

Focus: All childhood cancers
Institute: Monash University
Recipient: PhD Scholar #1 Claire Shi, PhD Scholar #2 Sarah Parackal
Funding: $318,106 over 5 years

Overview: Funding for three PhD students in paediatric precision medicine. The key aims are to develop a doctoral training program focused on key research themes of precision medicine, and to strengthen cross-institutional collaborations (local, national, and international).

Clinical Trials

SIOPEN Neuroblastoma Clinical Trials

Focus: Neuroblastoma
Institute: ANZCHOG (Australian & New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group)
Recipient: A/Prof. Toby Trahair
Funding: $530,965

Overview: The SIOPEN LINES trial is for children with less aggressive tumours and incorporates
refined tumour analysis and staging techniques to more easily identify biologically favourable
tumours and unfavourable tumours.

Funded by or in conjuction with Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation.

Clinical Care

On Ward Oncology Social Worker

Focus: In-hospital family support
Institute: The Royal Children’s Hospital
Funding: $100,000 interim funding

Overview: Interim salary funding for a Social Worker to support families with children undergoing
treatment within the Children’s Cancer Centre.

Funded by or in conjunction with The Portland House Foundation.

On Ward Occupational Therapist

Focus: Psychosocial Care
Institute: Queensland Children’s Hospital
Funding: $90,000

Overview: Salary funding for a clinician working in the paediatric cancer setting to provide targeted and specialised procedural care to children and families undergoing treatment for cancer.

Funded by or in conjunction with My Room Children’s Cancer Charity

My Room Comfort First Clinician

Focus: Psychosocial care
Institute: The Royal Children’s Hospital
Funding: $79,950 over 12 months

Overview: Salary funding for a clinician working in the procedural support program that aims to reduce the pain, anxiety and distress associated with medical procedures in patients undergoing cancer treatments.

Funded by or in conjunction with My Room Children’s Cancer Charity

On Ward Child Psychologist Services

Institute: Queensland Children’s Hospital
Funding: $67,124 over 2 years, matched by the Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation

Overview: Interim salary funding for a Child Psychologist to assist in meeting the demand for cancer
patient care. This investment will ensure the mental health clinician can delivery clinical support and seamless continuity of care for patients and families facing the difficult journey of a cancer diagnosis.

On ward Music Therapist

Focus: In-hospital patient care
Institute: Monash Children’s Hospital
Funding: $119,839 over 5 years (2018-23). Renewal – funded since 2009

Overview: Salary funding for a Music Therapist to provide clinical musical therapy across the inpatient, day centre and outpatient settings. Music therapy aims to provide positive coping-related behaviours and reduce anxiety for patients and their families during procedures.

On Ward Physiotherapy Service

Focus: In-hospital patient care
Institute: Monash Children’s Hospital
Funding: $147,355 over 3 years

Overview: Salary funding for two physiotherapists to initiate, implement and evaluate a dedicated
physiotherapy service to provide high quality assessment and intervention to all children and adolescents at diagnosis and throughout treatment.

Funded by or in conjunction with My Room Children’s Cancer Charity

On Ward Dietitian

Focus: In-hospital patient care
Institute: Monash Children’s Hospital
Funding: $137,526 over 3 years. Supplement of 0.4 EFT to the 0.3 EFT funded 2010-17 and now
embedded in hospital budget.

Overview: Salary funding for a Dietitian to provide intensive nutritional support, which is associated
with improved survival rates and treatment tolerance. This ensures children have access to a full-time nutritional service to optimise their health during cancer treatment.

Funded by or in conjunction with My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.

Lillies for Hope Beaded Journey

Focus: In-hospital patient support
Institute: The Royal Children’s Hospital, Monash Children’s Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Funding: $5,000 annually

Overview: The Beaded Journey gives children the opportunity to tell their personal cancer story by
marking key medical and non-medical events throughout their treatment with a special bead.

Funded by or in conjunction with Lillies for Hope Fundraiser

Family Support

Family Counselling Financial Reimbursements

Project: Family Counselling Reimbursement Service
Focus: Family support, both in hospital and post treatment
Institute: The Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash Children’s Hospital
Funding: $16,000 annually

Overview: Funding for counselling with a Psychosocial practitioner for children with cancer, their parents or siblings.

Family and Community Resource Officer

Focus: In-hospital family support
Institute: Monash Children’s Hospital
Recipient: Jessica Kelly
Funding: $41,483 over 3 years

Overview: The Family and Community Resource Officer facilitates discussion between staff and families, and provides day-to-day support services through play, recreation, social activities and respite.

Family Gym Memberships

Focus: In-hospital family support
Institute: The Royal Children’s Hospital
Funding Partner: Inside Out Performance

Overview: The key outcome is to support parents in improving their wellbeing while based at the hospital for prolonged periods caring for their children.

Clinical Research

Hudson Monash Paediatric Precision Medicine Program – Phase II

PhD Scholars Development Program

Clinical Trials

Clinical Care

Family Support

Help children survive and thrive.