Abbie's Army are committed to raising funds and with support and advice of our Scientific Advisories, commissioning or contributing to high quality and innovative medical research to find a cure for DIPG.
Our criteria for funding research include that any project be;
- Targeted - Exploring biologically relevant areas of discovery interest in a complimentary manner, with as little duplication as possible.
- Innovative - Extends existing knowledge, addressing key research questions and contributes to combination approaches (including modalities)
- Collaborative - Research focus on 'rare' cancers requires International cooperation. Principal investigators should demonstrate an integral role in brokering vital partnerships around patient priorities.
- Medically progressive - Translational with clear path to informing treatment options and support in future clinical trials
- Outputs - To be available and relevant to all DIPG patients.
- Delivery - With interim review reporting and with defined end date targets enabling Trustees to understand better the impact of the charity’s funding in research progression.
- Grant recipients should always maximise the availability of research 'data' derived from the Grant to others with as few restrictions as possible.
All research investment decisions are made in consultation with our own specialist scientific and medical advisory panel. Any awarded grants are contracted to our terms and conditions of award, including payment, management and evaluation during the grant period to ensure research goals are being met and the relevant gap in knowledge is being scientifically answered.
Following principles of peer review for any grant awarded you can be assured of full impartiality from reviewers with complete independence from the Trustees.
Abbie's Army positively welcomes the opportunity to combine efforts with other charities and fundraising groups to make a wider impact.
Finding a cure through funding vital research
There are currently very few treatments showing any efficacy (scientifically documented and proven) and NO cure available for DIPG
Funding targeted research initiatives enables doctors to improve their understanding of how DIPG develops and progresses, this is the only way to lead development of effective treatment options to benefit ALL children affected by DIPG.
We must not give up! 
It is imperative that we keep fighting to provide hope to DIPG families of the future and end decades of despair
Since 2011 scientists have made great progress, with an active research field the advances in biological understanding of the disease are now significant, and informing new designs for clinical trial. NOW is the time to see these new discoveries translated into clinical benefits for all affected children...
New discoveries together with new technologies for the first time are dramatically improving the possibility and potential of new routes for tackling DIPG disease never previously known or available.
Research funding from Government and National charities in this area however remains tiny and completely insufficient compared with other cancers.
We must bring change whilst the potential for making huge and rapid advances in this area is enormous. Medical research is long term and we require substantial investment to give researchers confidence that we can support future years projects.
It's only by investing in this research now, that any cure can ultimately follow.
Brain tumours affect over 400 children each year - a child DIES every three days in the UK from their disease.
DIPG is the leading cause of all brain cancer deaths and represents around 15% of all diagnoses.
Raising Awareness
We know just how important it is to raise awareness – without awareness there is no money, without money there is no research, and without research there will be no cure!
This is indeed a cyclical process and we cannot fight something in the first instance if no one knows what it is!
Abbie's Army, organises its own fundraising events as well as working as closely as possible with all its supporters to provide all they need to raise the profile of DIPG and spread much needed awareness.
