NEWS

50 Years of Advancing Clinical Cancer Research & Education: 

The story of the EORTC Cancer Research Fund (ECRF) 

Fifty years ago, an idea took shape in the heart of Europe, in Brussels, that advancing clinical research and treatment of cancer could not be achieved alone. No single country, no single institution, could tackle cancer’s complexity in isolation. It would take genuine collaboration across borders, sustained vision, and the generosity of people who believed that science, given the right support, could drive therapeutic progress for cancer patients, improving their survival and quality of life. 

The Founding Spark

EORTC —European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer — had been established in 1962, bringing together oncologists in all disciplines across all of Europe in a shared mission to improve cancer outcomes through international clinical research. But sustaining that mission required more than scientific ambition. It required solid, transparent, and accountable financial foundations. 

It was Professor Henri Tagnon, EORTC President from 1975 to 1978, who recognised this need and acted on it. Through his personal connection with Sir Ronald Hugh Grierson, a prominent personality then based in Brussels as Director-General for Industry at the European Commission, Tagnon invited him first onto the EORTC Board. A German-born British banker and businessman, Managing Director of the prestigious investment bank S.G. Warburg and later Vice-Chairman of General Electric Company, amongst many other senior roles in business and the arts, Sir Ronald brought to the EORTC Board of oncologists something they did not have: the financial expertise, and institutional credibility to place the organisation on a truly solid footing. 

That contribution quickly grew into something larger. In 1976, Sir Ronald established the EORTC Foundation, later renamed the EORTC Cancer Research Fund (ECRF), becoming its founding Chairman. It was through his personal friendship with HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, that royalty first became part of the ECRF story: HRH Prince Philip became the inaugural Honorary President, adding significant visibility to a cause that was, at the time, genuinely pioneering — EORTC was the first organisation in Europe to design and conduct large-scale, multinational cancer clinical trials across all cancer types. 

Sir Ronald Grierson chaired the Fund for 25 years, a period defined by determined institution-building: establishing trust and appreciation among philanthropic and business circles, attracting supporters, and ensuring that every donation was managed with the integrity that donors, researchers and patients deserved.

You can also help support EORTC’s game-changing clinical research to unleash scientific breakthrough and transform cancer patients’ lives. Learn how to GET INVOLVED, or Make a Contribution Now.