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Funding research and clinical trials for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer is about looking forward, pushing on the science, and doing better for children who are diagnosed with cancer in the future. Kindred Foundation is proud to partner with organizations from around the world to fund research that will make a difference in the lives of kids with cancer.
2025 Kindred Foundation Funding for Childhood Cancer Research and Initiatives
Team Syren Research Grant
Co-Funding a grant with Cancer Research Society and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
$650,000 CAD (total for all partners together) over 4 years
Dr. Adrian Levine | SickKids, Toronto
Elucidating the Mechanisms of Dissemination and Therapy Resistance in Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma
This work aims to help doctors identify which tumours are likely to spread, develop better treatments, and bring new therapies into future clinical trials—ultimately improving outcomes for children with pediatric low grade glioma brain tumours. (Read more)
CHEO Research Institute Award
Co-Funding a grant with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
$50,000 CAD over 2 years from Kindred
Dr. Lesleigh Abbott and Dr. Shawn Beug | CHEO, Ottawa
Creation of Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) from Pediatric Cancers
There is growing interest in treating cancer by helping the body’s own immune system destroy cancer cells, rather than relying only on harsh chemotherapy. One promising approach, called adoptive cell therapy, uses immune cells taken from a patient’s tumour. These are called tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and are grown in the lab and then returned to the patient to fight the cancer. (Read More)
2024 Kindred Foundation Funding for Childhood Cancer Research and Initiatives
The Olivia Luna Brown Fighting Chance Grant
Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation (CKc) Young Investigator Grant in Partnership with Kindred Foundation
$70,000 CAD over 3 years from Kindred
Dr. Anirban Das | SickKids, Toronto
Biomarker development for combined PD1+LAG3 inhibition in RRD glioblastoma
Testing immunotherapy combinations and analyzing biomarkers to understand how the immune system reacts to the treatments. (Read More)
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada: Pediatric Blood Cancer Innovation Grant
Kindred Foundation's contribution to this grant is beyond special. Some of the funds were raised by Kat Ast and Jeff Kindree in memory of their son Bo who died from AML just days after his third birthday in 2019. Together, we are honoured to support the following pAML research initiative in Bo's memory.
Dr. Grace Egan | SickKids, Toronto
The role of XPO2 in leukemia development in childhood and adolescent AML
Looking at sub-types of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to understand the role of XPO2 and how it correlates to outcomes in children. (Read More)
100% Fund Research Grant
100% Fund: Funding Osteosarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma and Infant Leukemia Research
Dr. Rebecca Deyell | BC Children’s Hospital (osteosarcoma)
Impact of Body Composition and Pharmacogenomics on Toxicity and Survival outcomes in Childhood Bone Sarcoma
Dr. Rebecca Gladdy |Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (rhabdomyosarcoma)
Modelling the molecular spectrum of RMS: creating subtype specific models that are metastatic and immunocompetent
Dr. Jongbok Lee | University of Calgary (infant leukemia)
Developing novel off-the-shelf CAR-T cell for relapse/refractory infant AML
The ACTION Consortium: Funding Neuroblastoma Cancer Research
We are excited to announce the first Research Funding Award by the ACTION Consortium. Founded by five non-profit organizations: The Anticancer Fund, The Evan Foundation, Kindred Foundation, Solving Kids’ Cancer UK and Zoé4Life. The ACTION Consortium is a collective force committed to Advancing Clinical Trial Implementation and Optimisation in Neuroblastoma (ACTION).
Our debut funding call is focused on refractory and relapse neuroblastoma, a hard-to-cure solid tumour cancer most often diagnosed in children. The grant calls for innovative approaches to accelerating clinical trials and the evaluation of novel therapies. By pooling our resources to form the ACTION Consortium, this award will be one of the largest seen in the neuroblastoma field, standing at $2 million USD. Our aim is to challenge the scientific community to bring proposals with the potential to instil significant change to the neuroblastoma landscape, which will directly and positively impact children facing this devastating disease. (Read More)
2023 Kindred Foundation Funding for Childhood Cancer Initiatives
DECRYPT Research Grant
$600,000 CAD (total for all partners together) over 4 years
The Defeating Embryonal Cancer in Young People Together (DECRYPT) Research Grant is intended to challenge the current understanding of the childhood embryonal cancer landscape by providing funding for a research project that will address an unmet need for these pediatric brain cancers. The DECRYPT Research Grant is funded by Kindred Foundation, Cancer Research Society (CRS), Phoebe Rose Rocks, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, The Miracle Marnie Foundation, Childhood Cancer Canada, and Tali’s Fund. The DECRYPT Research Grant provides a significant investment of $600,000 CAD for one 4-year research project.
The DECRYPT grant was originated by Kindred Foundation and our Phoebe Rose Rocks Committee in 2022 and awarded in 2023.
Dr. Annie Huang | SickKids, Toronto
A DECRYPT Babybrain Trial for Childredn Under 6 Years Old with High-Risk Embryonal Brain Tumours
Looking at sub-types of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to understand the role of XPO2 and how it correlates to outcomes in children. (Read More)
2022-2023 Kindred Foundation Funding for Childhood Cancer Initiatives
Childhood Blood Cancer Research Innovation Grant
$100,000 CAD for each grant from Kindred Foundation
In 2022, Kindred Foundation partnered with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada to co-fund two childhood blood cancer research innovation grants. We are proud to announce the two projects that we co-funded:
Dr. Cynthia Guidos | SickKids, Toronto
Identifying the Genetic Changes that Lead to Ruxolitinib Resistance
In this project, researchers hope to learn why leukemia cells can sometimes outsmart the drugs and lead to relapse, either by developing DNA mutations or rewiring the pathways inside the cells to hide from the drugs. (Read More)
Dr. Florian Kuchenbauer | BC Cancer, Vancouver
MiR-193a-Based LNP Drug Treatment for Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia
An LNP-miR-193a-3p-based drug (INT-1B3) is currently being studied in a clinical trial for solid tumours and the researchers will be testing this drug in a particular type of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia. (Read More)
Fit ABCS Clinical Trial for Childhood Brain Cancer Survivors
Dr. Don Mabbott | SickKids, Toronto
Fit ABCS Portal
$100,000 CAD from Kindred
This funding provided support to run a clinical trial using the Fit ABCS portal to develop exercise training for childhood brain tumour survivors. The goal was to gather feedback on the tool to further improve and refine the Fit ABCS portal and to learn more about how the brain changes because of exercise. (Read More)
2021 Kindred Foundation Funding for Childhood Cancer Initiatives
Lead Charitable Funder of the Childhood Cancer Canada Benevolent Fund
In 2021, Kindred Foundation became the lead charitable supporter of the Benevolent Fund, a program operated by Childhood Cancer Canada. The Benevolent Fund provides financial assistance to help families cover the cost of a child’s funeral following a cancer-related death.
The loss of a child to cancer brings immeasurable grief—and often, overwhelming financial burden. No family should ever face the added stress of being unable to lay their child to rest with dignity and care.
Recognizing this, Childhood Cancer Canada increased the financial support available through the Benevolent Fund in 2022, raising the maximum amount from $1,000 to $1,500 to better support families during one of the most difficult times in their lives.
To access the fund, a family’s social worker submits the necessary information on their behalf. Once approved, Childhood Cancer Canada makes a direct payment to the funeral service provider.
Kindred Foundation is honoured to support the Benevolent Fund and proud to help increase the funding available for bereaved families facing the devastating loss of a child to cancer.
The Benevolent Fund is the only national program of its kind, providing support to families across Canada. We are pleased that 100% of our donation is allocated to the Benevolent Fund. Please see the Childhood Cancer Canada website for more information about the Benevolent Fund.
This is ongoing funding every year since 2021.
Funding the Oncology Resource Navigator Role at SickKids
A childhood cancer diagnosis is devastating. You immediately enter a new world with a myriad of appointments, clinic visits, and forms, coupled with the financial, emotional, and social burdens that permeate the entire family’s lives. But when focusing on your child, it’s hard to find time or energy to seek out the resources that can help. Three years ago, to make the treacherous cancer journey for families a little easier, the Garron Family Cancer Centre (GFCC) at SickKids began a Resource Navigation pilot project as part of the Centre’s burgeoning Psychosocial Program. It quickly became an essential support network for families and patients, but funding for the project was scarce. Kindred Foundation is proud to be a new supporter of the SickKids oncology Resource Navigator program.
Resource Navigators, Youth Workers, and Health Specialists, are located in the centre of the SickKids Cancer Clinic, working long and unpredictable days – every one of them challenging and gratifying. “We help hundreds of cancer patients and their families who are lost and afraid. They need direction and access to accommodations, grocery delivery services, documentation, and form support, financial aid for routine expenses like wigs, travel to the hospital, daycare, and so much more,” explains Lisa. For particularly challenging cases, the team liaises with the larger Resource Navigation Service at SickKids to tap into its far-reaching network and expedite processes to ensure families are well supported.
With the help of Kindred Foundation, the GFCC can continue assisting families with the resources they need so they can focus on what matters most, the health and well-being of their child. As one grateful parent puts it, “Without the Resource Navigators, our family wouldn’t have been able to make it through. They supported us through every twist and turn. For that, and for so much more, we are eternally grateful.”
From 2021-2024, Kindred Foundation funded one of the oncology Resource Navigator roles at SickKids.
Funding Research for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancerous Brain Tumours
Dr. Uri Tabori, Dr. Julie Bennett, and Dr. Cynthia Hawkins | SickKids, Toronto
Molecular Classification of Primary CNS Tumours in Adolescent and Young Adults
$17,000 CAD from Kindred
The proposal from Dr. Uri Tabori, Dr. Julie Bennett and Dr. Cynthia Hawkins was selected by the C17 Research Network and co-funded by Kindred Foundation with the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network and the Michael Kamin Hart Research Fund.
Kindred Foundation also provides funding for the following in the area of childhood cancer:
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