Charles-Bruneau Foundation Makes Historic Five-Year Commitment to Fight Pediatric Cancer

September 30, 2025 marks a significant milestone in the history of the Charles-Bruneau Foundation and in the history of pediatric cancer research. The Foundation has indeed committed to distributing $50 million – over five years (2025-2030) – among Quebec’s four university hospital centers specializing in pediatric hematology-oncology.

“While these sums are substantial, we are confident that we can continue to count on the steadfast generosity of the public and our invaluable partners to bring these major projects to fruition!” stated Rébecca Dumont, Executive Director of the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, following the announcement of this major commitment.

“We resolutely need to join forces to face the challenges ahead because today, more than ever, the hope of recovery for children with cancer lies in research,” added Pierre Bruneau, former news anchor for TVA, founder, and spokesperson for the Charles-Bruneau Foundation.

Pierre Bruneau, founder and spokesperson for the Charles-Bruneau Foundation

Almost every day, a child in the province receives a cancer diagnosis.

This announcement holds particular significance as this year marks the 50th birthday of Charles Bruneau, whose legacy continues to inspire generations of children, families, researchers, and caregivers.

Thanks to research, the cure rate for major types of cancer has risen from 35% to 85% in 30 years. However, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease among 0 to 18-year-olds, and 70% of young adult survivors of pediatric cancer face long-term side effects, which can even reduce their life expectancy.

“This new investment will not only accelerate discoveries but also better support children and their families before, during, and after the illness. Due to the exceptional expertise of the teams at the Charles-Bruneau Centers and Units, which shine both locally and internationally, every dollar invested translates into real hope for hundreds of families in Quebec,” says Rébecca Dumont.

Speaking at the microphone: Rébecca Dumont, Executive Director of the Charles-Bruneau Foundation

The Charles-Bruneau Foundation – the primary funder of pediatric cancer research.

This new commitment will ultimately bring the Charles-Bruneau Foundation’s total investments for a cancer-free childhood to $150 million since its creation in 1990.

Through this major investment, the Foundation acts as a catalyst for unique collaboration among Quebec’s four university hospital centers specializing in pediatric hematology-oncology. By bringing together their expertise, these institutions align their efforts and hopes to offer every child a real chance at recovery.

The funds will be distributed between:

• The Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau at CHU Sainte-Justine : $21,310,776
• The Charles-Bruneau Hematology-Oncology Day Treatment Centre at the Montreal Children’s Hospital : $17,237,335
• The Unité d’hémato-oncologie pédiatrique Charles-Bruneau at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval : $5,337,413
• The Unité d’oncologie pédiatrique Charles-Bruneau at the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS : $4,763,832
• Flexible envelope to respond to opportunities or meet the requirements of emerging projects: $1,350,644

“The unwavering support of the Charles-Bruneau Foundation has allowed us to build a bridge between innovation and patients’ bedsides by integrating genomics into their care trajectory. Thanks to it, we are achieving the highest standards of care in pediatric hemato-oncology in Quebec. The Charles-Bruneau Foundation is the voice reminding us that alone we go fast, but together, we go further. Thanks to rapid scientific advancements, precision medicine is becoming a reality in pediatric hemato-oncology, at CHU Sainte-Justine and across Quebec. These remarkable progresses allow us to envision the realization of Charles Bruneau’s dream, which has become our collective dream: a childhood without cancer and a recovery without sequelae,” Dr. Sonia Cellot, pediatric hematologist and clinician-researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine.

What $50 million makes possible, in concrete terms

This unprecedented funding will enable:

• Finance research on all cancer phases among children, from prevention to survival, and from diagnosis to treatment.
• Promote innovation by financing emerging initiatives with the idea that the State will then institutionalize those that prove to be effective and legitimate.
• Promote regional equality of access to improved care and services.
• Help share knowledge and train the next generation of researchers in pediatric hematology and oncology.
• Support the collaborative and consensus-building work undertaken by a diversity of actors.

According to Dr. Nada Jabado, Senior Scientist and Pediatric Hemato-Oncologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC, one of whose research projects is supported by the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, “[this] commitment is not limited to advancing knowledge about pediatric cancers: it allows us to go further, to develop targeted therapies for children deprived of options, to offer hope of recovery to those whose disease resists treatment, and to improve the quality of life for young survivors as well as their at-risk siblings. By supporting our research project, which transforms the way pediatric cancers are studied and treated, the Charles-Bruneau Foundation brings us closer to our ultimate goal: a world where no child will have to face cancer.”

Brief overview of projects funded by this new $50M, five-year commitment

Signature Québec
Developed by the clinician-researcher teams at CHU Sainte-Justine, the Signature project has led to decisive advancements by refining diagnostics, identifying the genetic anomalies at the origin of cancers, and enabling access to targeted therapies adapted to each child. Since 2023, Quebec is also the only province to offer triple sequencing on a clinical basis, right from diagnosis.

By dedicating more than half of the allocated funds to the continuation of the Signature – Signature Québec – project, the Charles-Bruneau Foundation wishes to capitalize on the major advancements made possible by researchers in recent years.

This new commitment aims to:

• Offer more timely and comprehensive diagnostics.
• Target recurrent/refractory cancers.
• Prevent certain cancers linked to genetic predispositions.
• Identify more personalized and less invasive treatments.
• Promote earlier screening for toxic effects associated with therapies.

This forward-looking project will revolve around complementary and closely harmonized work led by teams at CHU Sainte-Justine and the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Other researchers across the province will also be called upon to contribute, thereby strengthening scientific collaboration throughout Quebec.

Quebec platform in psychosocial oncology

A cancer diagnosis in a child turns the entire family upside down: demanding treatments, changes in daily functioning, and uncertainty about the cancer prognosis generate significant stress. Coordinated by CHU Sainte-Justine, this platform aims to reduce the negative effects of cancer on the mental health of families. It will support research and the training of multidisciplinary professionals, as well as the development of a concerted response strategy.

The following measures are being implemented:

• The creation of a Quebec-wide database for assessing the impact on the parents of children with cancer throughout the care trajectory.
• The systematic evaluation of the quality of life for purposes of improving interventions.
• The development of competencies among caregivers at Charles-Bruneau care units and centres.
• Support for the transition from pediatric to adult care.

The Fondation Charles-Bruneau will support the deployment of this platform at the four university hospital centres specialized in pediatric hematology and oncology.

Charles-Bruneau Awards Program – Training the next generation, and promoting excellence

“Thanks to the scholarships offered, we can attract and retain promising young researchers, thus ensuring a solid future for pediatric oncology in Quebec.”
– Dr. Bruno Michon, Pediatric Hemato-Oncologist, CHU de Québec–Université Laval

By structuring an awards program, the Fondation Charles-Bruneau affirms its commitment to training the next generation of scientists and promoting long-term excellence in pediatric hematology and oncology in Quebec. By working to strengthen the province’s research ecosystem, it contributes to a lasting impact, whereby each research fellow becomes a vector for scientific and medical progress.

• Charles-Bruneau Emerging Scientist Awards are geared to master’s level, doctoral and postdoctoral students with the objective helping train the next generation of exceptional researchers and promoting the sharing and advancement of knowledge.
• Charles-Bruneau Clinical Excellence Awards aim to support the advanced specialization of residents, clinical fellows, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals, thereby strengthening the competencies of care teams and promoting international recognition.

Finally, this commitment will also help finance several innovative research projects and actions undertaken at the CHU de Québec – Université Laval. These include a study on the immune environment of pediatric tumours, the establishment of a provincial taskforce on proteomics, as well as early screening for thromboembolism among children in treatment. In addition, a flexible envelope will be made available to the four Quebec-based establishments in order to fill in the missing links and strengthen synergy between research teams.

The Charles-Bruneau Foundation has been supporting researchers for 35 years.

Dr. Josée Brossard, pediatric hemato-oncologist, head of the hemato-oncology department at CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, regarding the Charles-Bruneau Foundation: “Thanks to the major support from the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, every child with cancer benefits from excellent care across Quebec, while having access to the best available research protocols in the province’s four pediatric oncology centers.”

For 35 years now, the Charles-Bruneau Foundation, established by parents of young people diagnosed with cancer, has been dedicated to offering the best chances of recovery to children with cancer by funding research and supporting the development of projects dedicated to pediatric hematology-oncology.

A twofold objective guides the Fondation Charles-Bruneau: to cure the 20 percent of children whose cancer is resistant to treatment and improve the quality of life of children in remission so that they can enjoy a true recovery, free of after-effects or complications.