Childhood Cancer Canada

The C17 Network, through funding provided by Childhood Cancer Canada, wants to ensure that all childhood cancer treatment locations in Canada and their patients reap the dividends of more intensive research and cutting-edge therapies. With this as a core goal, the Network's scope of research activities includes:

Basic Laboratory and Translational Research: Laboratory studies that require patients from several sites are facilitated through C17 and are high on the coalition's list of priorities. The C17 infrastructure makes it easier to design and conduct joint research ventures involving patients, tissue samples and clinical data from different sites;

The Recruitment of Patients: Existing funding agencies may fund the laboratory portion of a study, but provide no support for institutions or programs which have to recruit patients, provide information about the patient, and obtain blood or tissue samples on which the laboratory research will be conducted. The Network provides resources to programs to allow these kinds of fundamentally important activities to be carried out;

Development of Tumour Banks: While most Canadian institutions have some form of tumour bank, C17 will look at the development of a single national bank or a nationwide virtual tumour bank;

Quality of Life and Psychosocial Research: Some 60% of childhood cancer survivors experience some form of serious after effects of their treatment, including cognitive dysfunction, cataracts and even organ failure. Survivorship issues may have uniquely Canadian contributing factors. C17 is making psychosocial and quality of life research a priority, taking into account particular features of Canada's culture, geography and healthcare system;

Health Outcomes and Nursing Research: Studies here include those looking at the impact and outcomes of changes in medical and nursing practices, and comparisons of existing practice across the country. Such studies result in improved definitions of best practice and standardization in such areas as chemotherapy administration, supportive care, orientation of new oncology nurses, and follow-up of patients;

Hematology Research: Hematology research has not traditionally been served by the same organizations that support cancer research, yet is so critical to meaningful advances in the fight against childhood cancer. C17 encourages research within all aspects of hematology, just as it does within the broader areas of oncology and stem cell research;

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research: All aspects of hematopoietic stem cell research are encouraged.