NEWS

50 Years of Advancing Clinical Cancer Research & Education: 

The story of the EORTC Cancer Research Fund (ECRF) 

Part V – Fifty years of science, made possible by people

The ECRF’s history is, at its heart, a story about people. About an oncologist who knew what the organisation needed and found the right person to provide it. About a banker who turned a blank page into a Fund that has outlasted him by decades. About a diplomat who opened doors and forged partnerships that changed the course of the Fund’s ambitions. About a present chairman who has ensured the organisation is financially robust enough to honour its commitments for generations to come. About a succession of remarkable public figures who have given the cause their name, their time, and their commitment. And equally important, about the ECRF’s Trustees and Advisors and administrators, who have given their expertise and energy, year after year, because they have seen the impact and progress EORTC has brought to cancer patients across cancer types including rare cancers.

It is also a story about what becomes possible when philanthropy and science work in genuine partnership. Since 1962, EORTC has enrolled around 220,000 patients in clinical research studies across tumour types, and many of these studies have changed practice for treating patients with life-changing and life-saving results. The EORTC Fellowship Program, launched in 1991, has trained a generation of clinical researchers from around the world and continues to our days with over 240 fellowships been awarded to date.

None of it would have been possible without donors and partners — individuals, foundations, companies, and cancer charities — who chose to invest in science they might never personally need, for patients they will never meet.

As the ECRF marks its 50th anniversary, that spirit of generosity is more needed than ever. Cancer remains one of the defining challenges of our time. The research that will change outcomes tomorrow is being designed today — and it needs your support.

Missed Part IV? Discover the remarkable succession of Honorary Presidents who have supported the EORTC Cancer Research Fund over the decades, and how their commitment has helped strengthen EORTC’s mission and extend its reach across Europe and beyond: The Honorary Presidents: a thread of commitment

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.