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Research Funded
Research
The Childhood Cancer Foundation is proud to be a key funding partner of the C17 Council which represents Canadian Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Directors and its C17 Research Network and associated work to defeat childhood cancer. Click here to view the 2009 Annual Report.
Included in research currently conducted through C17 and funded by the Childhood Cancer Foundation Canada are the following:
- Dr. Yigal Dror, Principal Investigator, The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto): Development of a data and biological sample registry for bone marrow failure syndromes, to better understand patterns and possible causes of this rare, poorly understood, and often fatal condition whereby the body ceases to manufacture blood cells.
- Dr. Lillian Sung, Principal Investigator, The Hospital For Sick Children (Toronto): A study using laboratory analysis to understand the prevailing variables that cause some children with acute myeloid leukemia to develop severe and often fatal infections through chemotherapy.
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Dr. Michel Duval, Principal Investigator, Université de Montréal / Hopital Ste-Justine:
A study in red blood cell transfusion in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (including during bone marrow transplant) to bring about a better quality-of-life, and fewer bleeding and platelets transfusion requirements.
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Dr. Rod Rassekh and Dr. Paul Rogers, Principal Investigators, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver:
This study is looking at adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that are common and often result in significant morbidity and mortality. The goal of this project is to develop a tool which will allow clinicians to safely select medications and doses for individual pediatric oncology patients.
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Dr Anne Klassen, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario . Project title: Immigrant Families’ Experiences of Care for their Child with Cancer:
This is a two-year qualitative study that involves in-depth interviews with approximately 30 Chinese immigrant parents of children with cancer recruited from C17 centres across the country. Data collection will be accomplished through in-depth, semi-structured interviews where the aim is to collect rich descriptive data. Interviews will be transcribed (and translated as necessary) on a weekly basis so that analysis and data collection are carried out concurrently, using the basic grounded theory constant comparative method. Transcripts will be read and initial line-by-line coding will be followed by focused coding and theoretical coding. The collection of rich descriptive data will be used in this study to develop a theoretical understanding of the caregiving experiences of immigrant families; such data have the potential to inform and to advance Canadian pediatric oncology services, programs, and policy.
Types of Research Funded
The C17 Network, through funding provided by the Childhood Cancer Foundation Candlelighters 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.
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