WHAT WE DO
Here at FIGHTING EPENDYMOMA our aim is to support world class research into childhood ependymoma brain cancer. We identify leading experts in the field through our liaisons with National and International Brain Tumour Research organisations and charities and all applications are subject to a comprehensive process to ensure that our remit is fulfilled.
There is no getting away from the fact that research is costly. A Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, for example, costs up to £200,000 for a three year period. This is the level of expertise that is required to get the best results and we want the best for these children.
Ependymoma is the third most common paediatric brain tumour. According to CERN (Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network) the majority of ependymoma tumours in children occur at the back of the brain, in the posterior fossa or 4th ventricle. It is a cancer that can recur either in the same place or sometimes spreading to other parts of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Treatments often involve high risk surgery and or courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Funding for brain tumours in general is very scarce and for childhood ependymoma it is even worse. We desperately need to change this situation and soon. The more money we can raise the more projects we can support
FIGHTING EPENDYMOMA is dedicated to supporting childhood ependymoma research projects and so we are delighted that we have been able to make a substantial donation of £37,561 to Professor Richard Gundy, Professor of Paediatric Neuro-Oncology and Co-Director of The Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre, Nottingham. Richard very kindly sent us this message
Funding research into childhood brain tumours is the key to improving diagnosis and treatments and ultimately increasing survival of these dfficult to treat tumours whilst reducing disability rates.
Projects supported by grants from Fighting Ependymoma since 2015
£37,561 - To support Clinical Research Fellow in Paediatric Neuro-oncology Dr Tim Ritzmann as part of the ''Evolutionary Biology of Primary and Recurrent and Ependymoma and Intra-tumoural heterogeneity'' study.
£10,000-for the purchase of equipment to extend the RNA sequencing testing of relapsed ependymoma tumour samples.
£8,130- Research investigation of the therapeutic potential of targeting histone modifications in ependymoma under Dr Allard.
£81,913.50- to support Fighting Ependymoma Senior Research Fellow , Dr Hazel Rogers 'understanding and treating recurrent ependymoma' project including follow up from previous research partly funded by Fighting Ependymoma , identifying changes in DNA methylation at recurrence , whole genome sequencing data and identifying factors which predict ependymoma recurrence.
£40,000-to support Dr Lourdusamy Bioinformatics post which involves collecting data from the current SIOP Trial, the largest ependymoma trial in Europe.
£10,000 -to support a study to implement state of the art analytical techniques to understand the immune environment in which ependymoma cells live and grow.
£33,297- to support a Research Assistant post under Professor Grundy to help the Ependymoma Multidisciplinary Advisory Group to collect data with a view to setting up a Clinical Trial for relapsed ependymoma in children.
PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY GRANTS FROM FIGHTING EPENDYMOMA SINCE 2015
£5,000 - Senior technicians post studying immunology and ependymoma
£34,000 extension of the Ependymoma Multidisciplinary research Assistant Post
