Launched in 2019, the Fight Kids Cancer (FKC) initiative was created to address the pressing need for innovation in paediatric oncology. The programme supports translational research and clinical trials focused on improving survival rates, reducing treatment toxicity, and restoring young patients to full health. It prioritises interdisciplinary and collaborative research, particularly on paediatric brain tumours, leukaemia, and solid tumours—while also aiming to advance fundamental scientific knowledge and build scientific capacity across Europe.

FKC brings together three founding funders – KickCancer (Belgium), Imagine for Margo (France), and The Kriibskrank Kanner Foundation (Luxembourg) –recently joined by two other partners: the CRIS Cancer Foundation (Spain, France, UK) and KiKa (Netherlands).

By pooling resources, these organisations have funded 38 projects and one innovation award over the past five years, totalling nearly €30 million. With a budget of €12 million in 2025, FKC is making significant strides in paediatric cancer research by supporting innovative treatments, enhancing clinical trial design, and fostering closer collaboration between clinical and laboratory researchers across Europe.

The Role of ESF

Faced with an urgent need, the founders knew that accelerating support was critical and were determined to act fast. With ESF’s dual expertise in managing funds and grant evaluation, the path forward quickly became clear.

"ESF’s involvement was a game-changer,” recalls Delphine Heenen, co-founder of Fight Kids Cancer and Director of KickCancer (Belgium). “It allowed us to launch FIGHT KIDS CANCER without having to create a whole new legal entity, which saved time while simplifying the process. Their support allowed us to pool funds effectively and structure our collaboration without cumbersome legal complexities."

ESF has since played a pivotal role in the FIGHT KIDS CANCER initiative by assisting with the definition of scientific objectives and ensuring an independent selection process.

Selection Process & Post-Award Grant Management

The independent project selection process managed by ESF has been critical in upholding fairness and credibility. Given that paediatric oncology is a small and highly specialised research area, managing conflicts of interest (CoI) can be complex.

"Paediatric cancer is a small research area, and managing CoI is always a challenge,” says Heenen. “ESF's independent selection procedure, combined with their effective CoI management, has been essential in maintaining the integrity of our calls and ensuring that the best projects are funded."

Post-award, ESF has also ensured that grant-making remains efficient and transparent. Through regular annual reviews and project monitoring, ESF helps FKC track progress and address any implementation challenges.

“ESF’s role in project follow-up and financial reviews has made it possible for us to track the progress of our funded projects accurately and efficiently”, Heenen adds.

Toward €25 Million in Funding

Since its launch, FKC has scaled its funding capacity from €3 million to €12 million annually and continues to invest in both translational research and clinical trials that bring new treatments closer to young patients. In line with its goal to foster future generations of paediatric oncology researchers, the programme has also introduced the Innovation Award—providing flexible funding to early-career scientists.

Looking ahead, FKC aims to double its annual funding to €25 million and expand its network and impact across Europe. ESF’s role will continue to be vital as FIGHT KIDS CANCER scales up its operations. With enhanced tracking tools and strengthened grant-making processes, FKC will be better equipped to scale its impact. As Heenen notes:

“The toolkit developed by ESF for FIGHT KIDS CANCER has set a benchmark. Their ability to structure and manage multi-partner funding calls could easily be adapted for other disease areas. It has helped us create a sustainable model for paediatric cancer research, and we often recommend ESF to other organisations in similar rare disease sectors.” 

A Model for Research Support in Paediatric Oncology

The FIGHT KIDS CANCER initiative, fuelled by collaboration and strategic funding, has proven to be a model for effective research support in paediatric oncology. This collaborative grant-making model—underpinned by structured management and independent selection processes—offers strong potential for broader application, particularly in rare diseases and other underserved research areas.

By overcoming the fragmentation of funding across borders, it delivers real added value to end users—whether patients, practitioners, or society at large.