Four Quebec Hospitals Mobilize to Fight Pediatric Cancer - Fondation Charles-Bruneau Announces Historic Commitment of Over $25M

QUEBEC, June 2, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Fondation Charles-Bruneau today announced a historic commitment of more than $25 million over five years to fight pediatric cancer in Quebec. This commitment, which will be the foundation's largest to date, takes a visionary approach in which the collaboration and complementarity of Quebec's four university hospitals specializing in pediatric oncology will be marshalled. Multiple research projects will be funded to strive for a cancer-free childhood for all children in Quebec.

This announcement marks a milestone for Fondation Charles-Bruneau, not only for the magnitude of the investment, but also because the four pediatric oncology centres in Quebec will use their respective expertise and research teams to fight childhood cancer. The battle will be waged on all fronts: cell-by-cell analysis of cancer, simplification of diagnosis and follow-up, precision treatments (targeted therapy, cell and gene therapy), improved nursing care, screening and management of psychological distress (particularly through art therapy), and prevention of cancer's after-effects through the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits. The foundation's vision and leadership will enable pediatric hemato-oncology researchers with the province's four institutions to work together for the benefit of thousands of children and their families across Quebec.

In more concrete terms, the commitment breaks down as follows:

• Nearly $9 million for the CHU Québec-Université Laval to implement a project to improve nursing support for children with cancer, in cooperation with the children and their families. This project will have an impact throughout Quebec and beyond. By adapting care to the needs of families, this research will heighten the expertise of nurses and facilitate their retention.
• More than $11 million for the CHU Sainte-Justine to support innovative research into cell-by-cell analysis of cancer and development of new treatments (targeted therapies, cellular and gene therapies). The support of Fondation Charles-Bruneau will also make it possible to deliver concrete results of previous research to patients: implementation of molecular diagnostics, support for families in psychological distress, and support for healthy lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of after-effects from cancer and its treatments.
• Close to $250,000 for the CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS to support a pharmacist position dedicated to the development of the pediatric pharmacological research sector in the context of the CHUS's recent membership of the COG, and thus accelerate the opening of therapeutic studies. The support of Fondation Charles-Bruneau will also fund the acquisition of necessary material resources.
• Nearly $5.5 million for the Montreal Children's Hospital to develop a method of detecting and monitoring cancer through a simple blood test, which will help avoid invasive procedures, speed up the diagnosis of solid tumours, and simplify patient follow-up.

Under the aegis of Fondation Charles-Bruneau, the four university hospitals serving pediatric hemato-oncology clientele will share the work in a complementary manner.

Quebec, a leader in pediatric oncology
The many projects that will be supported financially by Fondation Charles-Bruneau will help to promote the expertise of Quebec researchers and position them as leaders in pediatric hemato-oncology on the international scene. Ultimately, the foundation hopes to cure the 20% of children whose cancers are still resistant to treatment and to improve quality of life for children in remission by reducing the side effects and after-effects of their disease. This major commitment offers an extraordinary opportunity to move faster and further, together, towards a cancer-free childhood.

Quotes
"The commitment is ambitious, but slowing the pace was out of the question. Advances in research and new technologies are extremely promising. The monies required are substantial, but we are convinced that we can continue to count on the ongoing generosity of the general public and our valued partners to be able to carry out these great projects!"
     -  Pierre Bruneau, founder and spokesperson of Fondation Charles-Bruneau

"We are immensely proud to make this historic commitment today to Quebec researchers who hold the hope of thousands of children in their hands. All of them aim to cure the 20% of children whose cancers are still resistant to treatment, in addition to improving their quality of life by reducing side effects and after-effects. We have been preparing for this announcement for almost two years now. We definitely need to create alliances in the face of the challenges ahead because now more than ever, hope for a cure for children lies in research."
     -  Rébecca Dumont, Executive Director, Fondation Charles-Bruneau

"Our deepest thanks to Fondation Charles-Bruneau for this partnership. The caregivers, researchers and families are extremely grateful. Thanks to this support, we can offer the best to our young patients. Our research findings can even be exported worldwide for the benefit of all children with cancer. Together, we are truly moving toward Charles's dream."
     -  Dr. Bruno Michon, CHU de Québec-Université Laval

"The commitment of Fondation Charles-Bruneau has been transformational for the CHU Sainte-Justine teams over the past decades. It is because of their exceptional support that our centre is now a world leader in pediatric hemato-oncology. It is also thanks to the foundation that our teams are ready to confidently take the lead in what research and innovative therapies may soon promise to the children of Quebec. On their behalf and that of my colleagues, I am immensely proud and grateful for this exceptional and renewed commitment. I am hopeful that with them, and with the shared strengths of Quebec's four Charles-Bruneau Centres and Units, we will continue to transform pediatric hemato-oncology care."
     -  Dr. Michel Duval, CHU Sainte-Justine

"It is very exciting for our team to participate in these national and international projects with a common goal: to cure and prevent pediatric cancer."
     -  Dr. Josée Brossard, CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS

"We are extraordinarily grateful to Fondation Charles-Bruneau for its ground-breaking gift to pediatric cancer research at the Montreal Children's Hospital. Dr. Janusz Rak's transformational research support will benefit all Quebec children diagnosed with cancer. An investment in liquid biopsies will accelerate the diagnosis of solid tumours in children, enable early detection of recurrences, and predict remission while significantly reducing the pain and risks of current biopsies."
     -  Dr. David Mitchell, Montreal Children's Hospital

About Fondation Charles-Bruneau
Fondation Charles-Bruneau has just celebrated 30 years of involvement in the field of pediatric cancer. Since its inception, the foundation's mission has been to give all children with cancer improved chances of recovery. Following investments of more than $40 million, specialized Charles-Bruneau units have been set up at the four university hospitals in Quebec that treat children with cancer: CHU Sainte-Justine, the Montreal Children's Hospital, CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS and CHU de Québec-Université Laval. With the financial commitments announced in 2021, the investments in research will total $55 million since the foundation's creation, making it the leading funder of pediatric hemato-oncology research in Quebec.

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SOURCE Fondation Charles-Bruneau

Mélanie Bourcier, 514-554-2635, [email protected]