Victoria unites to combat childhood cancer with $45 million research initiative
13 October 2024
Every week, three Australian families face an unthinkable loss – the death of their child to cancer. Victoria's leading medical minds are refusing to accept this heartbreaking reality. In a groundbreaking collaboration, top researchers and clinicians from Victorian children's hospitals, research institutes, and universities have united to fast-track childhood cancer discoveries to the clinic.
This unique collaborative effort, originally known as the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium (VPCC) before rebranding as the Children’s Cancer CoLab, was officially launched on 13 October 2024 with a funding commitment of $35 million from the Victorian Government and $10 million from the Children's Cancer Foundation.
The Victorian Government and Children’s Cancer Foundation's funding pledge was first announced on 18 June 2023 as part of the 2023/2024 Victorian State Government Budget. The signing of the combined $45 million funding contract at the launch signalled the start of the new entity and its transformative activities.
At the launch, the inaugural CEO and Board of Directors were announced. CEO Dr Udani Reets brings extensive experience to the role from her previous position as an executive at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Leading the Board of Directors is Chair Prof Brendan Murphy AC, who is a former Federal Government Chief Medical Officer.
Dr Udani Reets said that before the VPCC was formed, Victoria’s research, clinical and academic institutions worked independently and without a formal alliance to address childhood cancer.
“Recognising the power of collaboration, the Children’s Cancer Foundation had the visionary foresight to unite Victoria’s leading childhood cancer experts to form a consortium focused on fast-tracking discoveries from the lab to the clinic.”
The Children’s Cancer Foundation obtained an Australian Government Medical Research Future Fund grant to establish the VPCC as a research partnership in 2021, uniting the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Monash Children’s Hospital, Royal Children’s Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Monash University, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
This multidisciplinary collaborative effort will develop cancer therapies through research, innovation and clinical trial programs, helping to save lives and support young cancer patients to live long and healthy lives after their cancer treatment.
View past Victorian Government media releases about the VPCC:
Victoria leading the fight against childhood cancer, 13 October 2024
Major boost into childhood cancer research, 18 June 2023
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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.
