Current Research Initiatives
Two Charities Team Up to Improve Outcomes for Rare Childhood Brain Cancer
Tali’s Fund is proud to partner with Hope4ATRT to support a ground-breaking research initiative at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital. This initiative aims to increase survival rates while decreasing lifelong side effects for young children with ATRT. Our research team will use cutting-edge technology to detect tumour DNA in spinal fluid. They hope to identify biological markers in the DNA that can predict treatment response and determine which kids can be treated successfully without harmful radiation. This could also pave the way for more targeted treatment options for other types of childhood brain cancers.
Canadian Charities Partner to Fund a Significant Research Grant for Children with Rare Brain Cancers
Tali’s Fund has partnered with 6 other Canadian organizations to support the Defeating Embryonal Cancer in Young People Together (DECRYPT) Research Grant. The DECRYPT grant will fund research that will ideally lead to a significant change in the understanding, diagnosis and/or treatment of childhood embryonal brain tumours.
What’s next?
Clinical Trial
Current knowledge lays the foundation for a clinical trial of personalized treatments, giving young children with these tumours more tailored treatment options and fewer harmful side effects. Is there a relationship between the genetic subtypes and their response to different types of drugs? Can more precise and less toxic treatment combinations be matched to specific ATRT subtypes?
Tali’s Fund will do our best to advocate for the launch of a clinical trial and to help with fundraising efforts to support it.
“I’m hoping this will create a paradigm shift in the way we approach childhood brain tumours. It will make us look at malignant brain tumours, particularly those affecting very young children, as a medically treatable disease for which radiation is not always necessary.”
Dr. Annie Huang