From our first day, it has been about researchers and clinicians working together to improve outcomes for children with cancer. The best illustration of this is the Zero Childhood Cancer Program (ZERO), our national precision medicine program for kids with cancer which we run in partnership with the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.

Over 2,000 children have now been enrolled on ZERO and, in June this year, we published the most recent results that show the precision medicine approach taken by ZERO significantly improves survival in kids with high-risk cancer. In fact, the 2-year progression-free survival of children who received their ZERO-recommended personalised treatment was more than double that of children who received standard therapy.  

Put simply, more children are surviving because of ZERO. And more children are alive today thanks to supporters like you.

Because ZERO involves comprehensive genomic profiling of samples from every child enrolled, it's generating massive amounts of data and insights into all childhood cancers, which is driving a large number of research programs, both at our Institute and elsewhere.

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Here are just a few of the many highlights this year that you have made happen:
•    Our researchers found that a new-generation drug for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an aggressive leukaemia that mainly affects children, has 'excellent potency’ as a single agent and in combination with other therapies. Find out more.
•    We discovered for the first time that a gene known as RUNX1T1 is essential for the development of neuroblastoma, opening up the possibility of a whole new approach to treating this aggressive childhood cancer. Find out more.
•    A $5m grant was awarded to the Institute by ACRF to establish a ground-breaking childhood cancer early detection, prevention and treatment Program. Find out more.
•    Associate Professor Paul Ekert and Chelsea Mayoh were featured in The Australian newspaper’s ‘Top 100 Innovators 2024’ list.

This significant progress is moving us towards a future in which every single child will survive their cancer. Where every child will have the opportunity to grow up and grow old. Because, like you, we believe that a life should be long. Kay, that has always been our vision, and I know it’s a vision you share.

On behalf of everyone here at Children’s Cancer Institute, and from all the children and families you are helping, I want to thank you for your support.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

Together, I believe we can and we will cure every child of cancer. As we say at the Institute, it’s not if, it’s when.

Warm regards,
Professor Michelle Haber AM
Executive Director
Children’s Cancer Institute