Visit to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Grant recipient & tour of Merlin Biotech.
Sam Azar, COO, KBC, Ian Henrich, PhD, Merlin Biotech, Randal Hyer, MD, Phd, MPH, CEO, Merlin Biotech, Margaret Guedes, CEO, KBC, Margaret Chou, PhD, Principal Investigator, CHOP, Ben Guedes, MD, CMO, KBC
Only 4% of the billions of dollars that are annually spent on cancer research and treatments are directed towards treating childhood cancer.
Research Programs
Clinical Trials Grant Program
Bringing the Future of Pediatric Cancer Treatment to the Bedside
Kids Beating Cancer is committed to accelerating access to the latest pediatric cancer treatments by funding clinical trials that bring global innovation directly to children in Central Florida—and beyond.
We recognize that for children facing high-risk, relapsed, or recalcitrant cancers, traditional therapies may no longer offer hope. In these cases, the only path to a cure lies in advanced clinical trials—many of which are not accessible without philanthropic support.
Why It Matters
Most pediatric clinical trials are underfunded, despite their lifesaving potential. Families are often left waiting—while time slips away.
Kids Beating Cancer bridges this critical gap.
How It Works
Through our Clinical Trials Grant Program, we fund:
-
Institutional clinical research trials that offer cutting-edge, high-potential treatments
-
Direct clinical trial access for individual children who urgently need experimental therapies
-
Innovative trials focused on reducing long-term side effects and improving quality of life
Our Impact
These grants ensure that children can:
-
Access the most promising new therapies, locally and in real time
-
Receive treatment with maximum efficacy and minimal toxicity
-
Stay close to home and family—without having to travel for care
Because every child deserves a chance at a cure—and every day counts.
Building the Blueprint for a Cure
A Research-Driven Mission to End Childhood Cancer
Kids Beating Cancer is dedicated to ending childhood cancer.
We believe that only through research can cures be discovered—and children’s lives be saved.
Our focus is on identifying and funding innovative, high-impact research projects that can move swiftly into lifesaving clinical trials. These are the trials that offer new hope to children with cancer and leukemia, especially those facing high-risk or relapsed disease.
From Bench to Bedside
Kids Beating Cancer invests in a strategic research model designed to move discoveries from the lab directly to the child’s bedside—supporting every critical step along the way. We fund:
-
Clinical trials for high-risk and relapsed pediatric cancer patients
-
Targeted research grants for the most promising early-stage and translational research
Grant Categories
To support this pipeline, we offer three specialized research grants:
- The John Voight Memorial Leukemia Research Grant
Honors KBC’s founding story by supporting research specifically targeting pediatric leukemia.
- The Robert G. Owens Memorial Research Grant
Supports focused research in high-risk cancers, helping to close the gap between innovation and treatment access.
- The Science is the Cure Research Grant
Funds groundbreaking projects that have strong potential to reach clinical trials and impact frontline care.
- The Emerging Scientist Grant
Supports early-career investigators with bold ideas and strong potential in pediatric cancer research.
- The Promising Scientist Grant
Fuels research with early results that show exceptional promise for clinical advancement.
The Urgency of Now
-
Every year, more than 17,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S.
-
Yet, pediatric cancer receives only 4% of federal cancer research funding
-
Since 1980, fewer than 10 drugs have been developed specifically for children—with hundreds created for adults
This gap is not just a funding issue. It’s a matter of life or death.
🌟 You Are Part of the Blueprint
Your support helps researchers move closer to the specialized cures children desperately need. By funding research through Kids Beating Cancer, you’re not just backing science—you’re building a future where no child dies before experiencing the joy of life.
Together, we can fund the cure.
Together, we can save lives.
$50 funds only ONE HOUR of research!
Kids Beating Cancer’s Scientific Advisory Board consists of esteemed pediatric oncology and scientific faculty from institutions across the United States. Each of the Scientific Advisory Board members are dedicated to improving the outcome of children with cancer, and as members of the Board, they certify that our research grants applicants are as impactful as possible by selecting to fund the best research projects.
The Kids Beating Cancer’s Scientific Advisory Board oversees the grant review process, recommends the scientific priorities and policies, while guiding new innovative research project areas. The Scientific Advisory Board continually supports in countless other ways, the passion that started Kids Beating Cancer, to bring live saving progress in treatments with the goal we all have, cures for children with cancer.
LEARN MORE about the research projects Kids Beating Cancer is currently funding.
NAME A RESEARCH GRANT OR CLINICAL TRIAL
Be a part of the Science Behind the Cure and name a Research Grant or Clinical Trial. For more information on the Kids Beating Cancer Research Programs, building a blueprint for a cure, please contact Sam@kidsbeatingcancer.com or call 407-894-2888.
