About Us We improve the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with malignant diseases.

30 Years of Cutting Edge Pediatric Cancer Research

This year, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) invites you to join us in celebrating 30 years of cutting edge research, education and lifesaving advancements for children with cancer. Since 1982, PCRF has been partnering with businesses, foundations, and individuals to improve the care, quality of life and survival rates of children with malignant diseases. 

We salute the tireless dedication and contributions of our staff, researchers, partners and volunteers. Through their work and commitment, PCRF has become a respected international organization - raising over $28 million dollars for pediatric cancer research. The lives of many children and their families have been profoundly impacted by this research and we encourage you to read some of their inspiring stories.

In the past 30 years we’ve come a long way in the treatment, care, and prevention of childhood cancers. However, as we look back and celebrate our progress, we also look forward - knowing there is more work to be done. At PCRF we are committed to continuing to fund innovative research so that every child can have the hope of a cancer free future. 

If you would like more information about how you can become involved in this meaningful work please fill out a contact form and we will follow up with you.

Here is a look back at some of our exciting and important milestones:

2012	PCRF Celebrates 30 years of funding cancer research.
2008	Research supported by PCRF demonstrates the presence of stem cells from cord blood that has multipotent properties to develop into all tissues of the body for potential future regenerative stem cell therapy
2007	PCRF sponsors a scientific symposium for the medical community entitled “Celebrating 25 Years of Success in Pediatric Cancer Research”
2006	PCRF, along with Columbia University and Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Sponsors the Second International Symposium on Childhood, Adolescent And Young Adult Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in New York
2005	The PCRF Laboratory at Columbia University reports the critical differences in cord blood compared to adult peripheral blood regulatory T-cells that may account for the significantly different responses after cord blood transplantation.
2004	The PCRF Clinical Consortium registers its 1,000th patient on PCRF Clinical Research consortium studies.
2003	PCRF, along with Columbia University and Justus-Liebig University Giessen, sponsors the First International Symposium on Childhood and Adolescent Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in New York.
2002	The PCRF Laboratory at Children’s Hospital of New York is expanded to over 2000 square feet.
2001	The PCRF Consortium expands its role with five member institutions across the United States, with approximately 73 approved Consortium clinical research protocols and enrollment of 172 patients into Consortium studies.
2000	The PCRF Laboratory is relocated to Babies and Children’s Hospital and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, New York.
1999	First ex-vivo cord blood transplant performed at Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center by Mitchell Cairo, M.D.
1998	The National Health/Heart, Lung & Blood Institutes announce the relocation of one of the awards for the establishment of an Umbilical Cord Blood Bank to Georgetown University and Dr. Cairo.
1997	The PCRF Laboratory is relocated to Georgetown University’s Lombardi Cancer Center. Under the direction of Dr. Cairo, this state-of-the-art laboratory is one of the country’s largest and most prestigious.
1996	Research investigators, now totaling 25, contribute to the authoring of 46 manuscripts and abstracts accepted for publication in prestigious medical journals or presentation at national and international meetings. Dr. Cairo is awarded two contracts from the National Institute of Health/Heart, Lung & Blood Institute for the establishment of an Umbilical Cord Blood Bank and Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant Center.
1994	The first umbilical cord blood transplant is performed at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. This milestone follows years of research in the PCRF Laboratory in the biology of cord blood
1985 - 86	The Bone Marrow Transplant Laboratory opens initiating a new era of innovative therapeutic treatment for pediatric cancer. Sterile hoods and a liquid nitrogen computerized freezer make possible the processing and purging of bone marrow. The first autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantations are successfully performed.