Rotary is funding a new research line at VHIR for childhood cancer

The Rotary clubs in Barcelona have announced their solidarity campaign to raise funds for the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). The initiative comes from the Rotary Club of Barcelona Eixample and is extended to other Rotary clubs in Barcelona and other clubs internationally. The project is led by Dr. José Sánchez de Toledo Codina, Head of the Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Service at the Barcelona University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, and Head of the Translational Research Group for Children and Adolescents Cancer at VHIR, and aims to fund a new research line that contributes to increase survival of children and adolescents with cancer.

The collaboration project between Rotary and the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital for research in childhood cancer aims to raise € 320,000 during 2016 in the fight against childhood cancer.

Dr. José Sánchez de Toledo says that "in addition to increase survival and improve the quality of life of paediatric cancer patients, the project in collaboration with Rotary has three clearly defined objectives: to improve diagnosis by identifying new prognostic markers, refine treatments through new therapeutic targets and the creation of new more specific and powerful drugs and customize treatment so as to allow precision medicine".

Fight neuroblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma

The new line of research of VHIR in childhood cancer focuses on the fight against neuroblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, 2 most prevalent solid tumours in children.

Neuroblastoma is a cancer formed in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest or spinal cord. On the other hand, rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of tumour that forms in muscle tissue. The most common areas of the body where it is located are head, neck, arms, legs, trunk and genital and urinary organs.

In both tumors, cases of low-risk or intermediate have a favourable prognosis. But in high-risk cases, they show a survival rate below 40% because they do not respond to conventional therapies.

With the funds obtained through the project of the Rotary clubs of Barcelona, the team led by Dr. José Sánchez de Toledo develop new personalized treatments that affect the factors that cause therapeutic resistance to tumours by creating specific molecular therapies. "We have identified some of the molecular factors that play a crucial role in the malignant transformation of the tumours," said Dr. Sánchez de Toledo. "The pharmacological blockade of these molecular factors, would lead to a decrease in the growth of the tumour and a lower formation of metastases. So that their implementation would lead to higher rates of survival".

The initiative project of Rotary carried out for the research of cancer in children in the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital has been created within the framework of the governance of Mr. Sergio Aragón (Governor of Rotary International District 2202). Sergio Aragón states that "Rotary is especially sensitive on issues that affect children, and most especially the health of the most vulnerable. That is why we are pleased to combine our efforts and work to raise funds for the research of Dr. Sánchez de Toledo and his team at VHIR."

Acquisition of experimental material and laboratory equipment

With the funds raised by Rotary, VHIR foresees the acquisition of experimental material: reagents for the realization of experiments, experimental mice, drugs...; as laboratory equipment such as microscopes, automatic counters of cells or blood samples centrifuges; among others.

Different charitable actions spread over 2016

The Rotary Club of Barcelona Eixample district and the rest of the Rotary clubs of Barcelona organised a series of events throughout the year to raise funds for the project. Among the different programmed events, it is included the organization of solidarity concerts, a charity horse-jumping tournament in the Open Sports Club of Prat de Llobregat, a charity play, a charity golf tournament, actions for collection of donations for the project through social networks, programming conferences, seminars and presentations with spokesmen for the service of Oncology and Haematology Paediatric of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital as well as the organisation of events with other Rotary clubs and members of civil society.