Solving Kids' Cancer visit CRUK Clinical Trials Unit

Leona and James from the Solving Kids’ Cancer team visited the CRUK Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) based at the University of Birmingham this month. They met with staff including the Director of the CTU and Professor Pam Kearns to learn more about paediatric trials (across all tumour types) that are in different phases of development and set-up in the UK.

A huge team of people work incredibly hard to bring these clinical trials from the point of inception to the point of being offered to patients in the clinic; they overcome hurdles including lack of funding, regulation and access to specific drugs. As Solving Kids’ Cancer move towards opening specific research projects in the UK, we’re upping our efforts to increase awareness of the importance of clinical research in developing cures for children, and of the funding needed to support clinical research which is right now lacking.

We believe that sharing knowledge and experience is an incredibly powerful tool in the battle against childhood cancers and as a parent-led charity, advocate at every opportunity for the needs of children in the clinic right now and to help shape things for children in the future. In forging closer links with institutions such as the CTU we can identify opportunities for collaboration and avoid duplicating efforts to help ensure Solving Kids’ Cancer and everyone working for the cause is doing so in the most effective way possible.