Our Mission & Vision

Accelerating research, innovation and collaboration

Our why

Guided by purpose, driven by compassion

Every week, three Australian children die from cancer. We want to  change this heartbreaking reality through collaborative research and innovation.

At Children's Cancer CoLab, we are driven by our vision for every child with cancer to survive and thrive. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of young cancer patients and their families in Australia and worldwide. To achieve our vision, we have united expertise and resources with a steadfast determination to improve childhood cancer outcomes.

Our Mission & Vision

Our mission is to improve outcomes for our youngest cancer patients by accelerating collaborative research and innovation into the clinic.

Our vision is that every child with cancer will survive and thrive.

Our values

Our four values shape everything we do:

Courage
We challenge traditional boundaries to accelerate childhood cancer research discoveries and innovation. 

Community
We build a sense of belonging and support for those working on childhood cancer.

Compassion
We demonstrate care and understanding for patients and families affected by childhood cancer in all aspects of our work.

Collaboration
We work together with researchers, healthcare providers, industry, funders, patients and families on childhood cancer.

Our origin

Childhood cancer doesn’t recognise borders or boundaries – and neither should cancer research. That’s why the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium, founded in 2021, rebranded to the Children’s Cancer CoLab in 2025. Now our impact can extend beyond Victoria to improve outcomes for young cancer patients everywhere.

Transforming the future of childhood cancer

Through collaborative research and innovation, we're working toward a future where all children diagnosed with cancer survive and lead long, healthy lives free from the burden of treatment effects.

1,000

Australian children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every year

3

children die every week from cancer

1 in 5

children diagnosed with cancer do not survive

80%

of children who survive cancer have long-term effects from their treatment

70

potential years of life are lost when a child dies from cancer

400,000

new cases of cancer are diagnosed worldwide every year in children and adolescents

Support us

More ways you can make an impact

Your support drives critical research and innovation that will change lives. By supporting Children's Cancer CoLab, you become part of a community working to ensure every young patient with cancer survives and thrives. Our approach unites top researchers across disciplines and institutions, breaking traditional barriers to accelerate discoveries from the lab to clinic, creating real impact for young cancer patients and their families.