We have clear aims at Abbie's Army and quite simply put, the more funding and donations we receive the more we can do to support vital DIPG research and raise awareness!
Abbie's Army regrettably cannot provide families support with proceeds towards an individual crowd funding platform for medical treatment. This does not comply with the Trust aims for public benefit.
There is difficulty for us to provide grants on a set established 'funding cycle' application procedure quite simply because we do not have a sufficient sustainable income stream or guarantee that we can make funds available. We are solely dependent on voluntary donations.
At Abbie's Army we keep constantly updated on the latest developments and ever evolving research field and also advancements regarding clinical research therapies. With advice and support from our Scientific advisories we then actively will approach those who we consider best placed to provide the most innovative and helpful project, those who we want to work with, either to commission the research we would like to see or to provide the pre-clinical data needed to inform treatment options with a very clear clinical path.
This encourages collaboration around patient priorities and clear unmet need in DIPG treatment.
Medical research is long term and we require substantial investment to give researchers confidence that we can support future years projects.
Only impact can and should ensure future fundraising success.
YOUR valuable support is currently providing:
- A first of its kind clinical trial for 12 UK DIPG patients using CAR-T cell therapy opening late 2021
- A dedicated DIPG Trials research post at the 'Institute of Cancer Research', Sutton in the lab of Prof Chris Jones.
- Molecular profiling and drug screening of DIPG samples to help develop 'targeted' and kinder treatments for children...including those UK patients enrolled in the BIOMEDE trial now being updated.
- Addressing significant gaps in the understanding of the 'tumour micro-environment' and factors that drive DIPG growth, including the instigation of new clinical trials.
- Identifying other therapeutic targets that drive glioma invasion and regulate gene expression in specific DIPG pathways.
- Co-funded the development of the FIRST EVER brain cancer drug to specifically target the ACVR1 gene in DIPG now being taken forward and developed for clinical trial.
Any funding decisions are ultimately made after taking full review from our own small scientific and medical advisory panel, or as in the case of grants already awarded via the 'DIPG Collaborative' - where each project has passed through a stringent 'peer review' procedure using their own established Medical Advisory Council.
We only wish we could do so much more.
