Canhelp

The pediatric palliative care program consists in offering specialized follow-up to young cancer patients at the end of life, as well as their parents and siblings, through a pediatric palliative care consultation at the UOHP of HUG. End-of-life support for children suffering from cancer or other blood diseases who unfortunately cannot find the way to recovery is fundamental so that children and their families can live this tragic period in the most comfortable conditions possible.

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The Cancer Survivors Scholarship

The survival of children who have been affected by cancer in Switzerland has only increased year by year, reaching more than 85% overall, all types of pediatric cancers combined. However, this fantastic development is burdened by the side effects that many pediatric cancer survivors still suffer from. In order to reduce these, specialized medical follow-up is necessary. This program thus aims to finance a long-term weekly consultation dedicated to all pediatric cancer survivors. It is focused on the early search for possible side effects due to treatments and their prediction as well as on prevention programs. The coordination of their follow-up at HUG is often multidisciplinary between cardiology, endocrinology, nephrology, etc. The aim is also to improve the medical and social care of adolescent and young adult patients with cancer in Geneva, and to support them in the transition to follow-up in classical adult oncology. Finally, a 3rd axis of this consultation focuses on the impacts of pediatric cancer on fertility. This French-speaking consultation would make it possible to guide doctors and parents on the best approach to fertility preservation.

CANHELP Support Fund

This support fund for families of children with cancer is an emergency fund so that any patient in the HUG Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit has access to treatments and medications, which are sometimes too expensive (when insurance does not take over) and difficult to finance by the institution. Some treatments are not always available in Geneva and young patients must be sent elsewhere in Switzerland or abroad. The CANHELP fund thus makes it possible to finance housing for the family. It was also used to help Ukrainian children suffering from cancer who arrived in Switzerland during the war. Thanks to the CANSEARCH Foundation, the teams of the Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Unit have been able to be adapted to deal with this emergency. CANSEARCH financed the salary of a nurse at HUG in the UOHP because the unit had to quickly increase its nursing staff to welcome Ukrainian children. This fund can be activated as needed (funeral financing, housing assistance, therapeutic massages, wheelchair...)

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Lancé en novembre 2025, le programme d’hypnose en oncologie et hématologie pédiatrique s’est construit au plus près du terrain, au rythme des échanges avec les équipes et des premières rencontres avec les enfants et leurs familles.

À travers l’hypnose, il s’agit de transformer le vécu du geste invasif, de rendre actif l’enfant afin d’atténuer la peur et la douleur, comme de redonner à l’enfant une forme de maîtrise dans un parcours souvent subi.

Les premiers accompagnements réalisés auprès des soignants et des enfants, ont montréscombien ce changement dans l’approche relationnelle peut modifier en profondeur le vécu d’un soin, tant pour l’enfant que pour le soignant.

Sickle Cell Program

The aim of this initiative is to improve the care of children affected by this disease. Sickle cell anemia, also called sickle cell anemia, is a hereditary genetic disorder that affects hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen) and requires sustained follow-up. This disease, which weakens the patient through pain, infections and fatigue, involves various complex aspects (preventive, therapeutic, educational, academic and professional, psychological and cultural).

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The Visiting Doctor Scholarship aims to hire an internationally renowned “medical researcher” within the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the University of Geneva. He would thus share his skills and perfect his practice within the clinical unit of pediatric oncology and hematology (UOHP) at HUG. A license to practice is therefore required for this function. This grant aims to fuel the next generation of talents, in order to ensure the quality of care while maintaining the competitiveness of research in this medical specialization.

80% of this grant is directed to research on a concert project and 20% to the clinical part in the pediatric oncology and hematology unit at HUG.

The CANMOVE Mobility Grant is offered to a researcher or clinician in pediatric oncology and hematology established in French-speaking Switzerland to complete their training abroad, while ensuring their place upon their return. Rather, it is identified with a scholarship. The aim is for the researcher/clinician, once trained, to return to share his freshly acquired expertise in French-speaking Switzerland and continue to stimulate this fabulous scientific dynamism.

CANCONNECT

This project was designed to develop the organization of congresses, symposiums at the national and international levels. It will bring together specialists from all backgrounds in order to implement international studies, refine the research network and forge new links between professionals and projects. These Meetings will make it possible to exchange, learn, or expand professional networks, to create new partnerships and above all to develop research and clinical practice. The CANSEARCH foundation, as a sponsor, proposes to organize conferences via the pediatric oncology and hematology unit and the CANSEARCH research platform, including a symposium in Geneva, once a year at the national and international level. These meetings will be organized mainly in Geneva but not exclusively. It will be aimed at organizations such as EBMT, ESPT, IBFM, IBFM, IBFM, CHIC, SIOPEL, SIOP, SIOPE, SSPHO/SPOG, SIOPEN, pediatric palliative care (SPT), etc...

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The CANSEARCH Research Grant

This scholarship is offered every two years to researchers from all over Switzerland, studying fields related to pediatric oncology and hematology. The competing projects are selected by the scientific committee of the Swiss Cancer League. Then, they are submitted to the scientific committee of the CANSEARCH foundation for the ultimate selection. This double assessment ensures a very advanced level of research.

Cansearch Research Grant

The Fellowship grant, head of the Romand CANSEARCH scientific clinic

The objective is to strengthen and stabilize the team and the medical-care resources of the UOHP unit at HUG. Recruiting trained onco-hematologist paediatricians is not easy. The recruitment of a pediatric clinic manager wishing to train in the field would not only make it possible to strengthen and stabilize the team, but also to make this specialization and the UOHP more attractive and would ensure the succession.

20% of this position is focused on research in the UOHP and 80% in the clinic.

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Computerized chemotherapy program

This initiative made it possible to implement a computer management system for the prescription, distribution and administration of chemotherapeutic treatments in the pediatric oncology and hematology unit (UOHP) in a secure and traceable manner. This computerized chemo program optimizes the safety of patients suffering from cancers or hematological diseases.

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