Mission
The CANSEARCH Foundation finances research projects within the framework of the Pediatric Onco-Hematology Unit of the Department of Children and Adolescents of the Geneva University Hospitals.
To this end, the first platform in pediatric oncology and hematology, the CANSEARCH Research Laboratory, was created in Geneva.
His research work makes it possible to maintain excellent medicine in the canton of Geneva. Thanks to a public-private partnership, the Foundation offers a personalized and highly specialized center of medicine.
Research areas
New therapeutic strategies
The advances in pediatric oncology in recent years have been achieved thanks to two different areas of research:
laboratory research, focusing on the study of biological parameters
clinical research, allowing the implementation of new therapeutic strategies.
Advances in laboratory research have a significant impact on therapeutic clinical trials. One of these areas of research concerns “oncogenetics”, and makes it possible in particular to characterize numerous tumors on the basis of very specific biological criteria, such as genetic abnormalities (mutations, translocations, etc.) or expressions of specific cellular markers.
The increasingly detailed analysis of tumor genetic abnormalities also guides us in the development of new therapeutic strategies and in particular with regard to the response of each child and adolescent to the treatments proposed.
Indeed, there are genetic determinants specific to each individual that modify the response to treatments and its consequences in the short or long term. With this tool, it is thus possible to assess the exact dose of medication needed for each individual, both effective in terms of its anti-cancer effect, and with fewer side effects. This research is grouped under the term “pharmaco-oncogenetics”.
Foundation board
After obtaining his Bachelor in Business Management from the University of Geneva, Sébastien Joliat joined Ernst & Young SA (Geneva) in 1997 in the field of banking audit. Since 2003, he has been a financial director in banking institutions.
He is currently CFO and member of the executive management of Hyposwiss Private Bank Genève SA, which he joined in 2011. Throughout his career, Sébastien Joliat has always collaborated with humanitarian associations.
Sébastien has been active at CANSEARCH since its creation in 2011.
Guerric Canonica is a lawyer at the Geneva Bar and a graduate of the Institute of Real Estate Studies (IEI). He joined Canonica, Valticos, De Preux & Associés in 2006 and is now a partner at Canonica Valticos Carnicé & Associés.
Guerric is mainly active in general criminal and business law, as well as private law. He is active in the field of commercial, wealth and inheritance advice and carries out a very regular activity in the recovery of assets in Switzerland and abroad, in particular on behalf of foreign state-owned companies that are victims of economic crime.
He is also active in real estate law (tenancy law, construction law and land use law). He is also a member of several boards of directors of Swiss and foreign companies, as well as charitable institutions active in particular in Geneva.
Married and the mother of 3 children, Patricia Hubscher Eichenberger has been deputy director in private management at Pictet & Cie since 1999, after starting her career at Crédit Suisse in Zurich and London. She has chaired the Board of a public utility foundation linked to Protestant heritage since 2014 and has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Caran d'Ache SA since 2015. Patricia has a license from HEC Lausanne and is completing an administrative course at the Swiss Board School.
Phil Lenz was recruited in October 2007 to establish a presence in Switzerland and set up a new trust company for the Butterfield Group. Prior to this role, Phil was Head of Administration for the Global Wealth Structuring Division at Barclays Wealth and was directly involved in the strategic planning, acquisitions, and administration of complex and large-scale trust structures.
Over the past 20 years, he has held several other positions in the financial sector, primarily in business banking and private banking. Phil holds a BSc in mathematics from Imperial College (London) and was qualified as trustee and successor in 2001. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has regularly mentioned in publications such as Who's Who Legal, ePrivateClient, and Citywealth.
Valérie built her career in the field of communication and events, before becoming the Secretary General of the Foundation (from 2013 to 2017). She then joined the CANSEARCH Foundation volunteer team to manage certain administrative aspects, events and in particular the CANSEARCH charity evening.
She is also a member of the Founex Loisirs association. Since January 2023, she has resumed her duties as Secretary General at the CANSEARCH Foundation and has also been a member of the board since November 2023.
Valérie built her career in the field of communication and events, before becoming the Secretary General of the Foundation (from 2013 to 2017). She then joined the CANSEARCH Foundation volunteer team to manage certain administrative aspects, events and in particular the CANSEARCH charity evening.
She is also a member of the Founex Loisirs association. Since January 2023, she has resumed her duties as Secretary General at the CANSEARCH Foundation and has also been a member of the board since November 2023.
Scientific committee
The Scientific Committee must guarantee the quality of the research supported in order to be able to assure all those who contribute so generously that their donations are used more wisely.
Once a year, researchers from the CANSEARCH platform in pediatric oncology and hematology at the University of Geneva present their projects to the members of the scientific committee. The Scientific Committee
The latter is international and is composed of renowned professors each exercising different specializations in order to have expertise on current research. It is destined to evolve according to the projects. It also has the skills to call on international experts as required.
PresidentHematologist,
Basel,
SwitzerlandHead of the Hematology Department at the University Hospital Basel
Senior Medical AdvisorInnovative TherapiesProfessor EmeritusUniversity of Toronto at Hospital for Sick Children
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist/Honorary Professor of Childhood CancerGreat North Children's Hospital and Newcastle University
Emeriti Professor of PharmacologyBiozentrum, Basel
Honorary Committee
Act - CanDo
Contact the General Secretariat of the Foundation in order to inform them of the action that will be implemented, to ensure that they remain in the same state of mind and the same perspectives that the Foundation has set for itself.
Use the official logo of the Foundation in any promotional material or invitation to an event.
Have the General Secretariat of the Foundation validate the texts relating to the mission and projects of the Foundation before any publication on paper or on the Internet.
Request official documentation from the Foundation's General Secretariat for distribution to third parties.
Use promotional items from the Foundation, such as caps, T-shirts, pens, notepads, etc. when appropriate.
When organizing an event whose initiative comes from a third of the Foundation, the General Secretariat of the Foundation makes itself available to the third party to help it carry out its action, in particular for advice, proofreading or putting in contact with certain contacts, but is not the co-organizer or the co-funder.
At any time, you can organize a fundraiser through the GivenGain platform
EMBT CANSEARCH
Institutional film 2024 CANSEARCH
Inauguration: Smile for CANSEARCH
2022 Charity Night
CANSEARCH Institutional Film
CANSEARCH Film 2019
CANSEARCH Film 2017
Brigitte ROSSET
Testimonial from Arnaud, now in remission
Fraissinet — I want time/CANSEARCH Foundation Anthem
Preview Bastian BAKER — CANSEARCH
The CANSEARCH Foundation
CANSEARCH, Children's Cancer Foundation
The 7th CANSEARCH Foundation charity evening will take place on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
These evenings are major events in the fight against childhood cancer. They make it possible to finance and support medical research conducted by our researchers as well as all the partners who have accompanied us in our mission for 15 years.
Thanks to the invaluable support of the guests present and all donors, the entire benefit of the evening will be attributed to our research projects and initiatives.
We want to sincerely thank you for your incredible support during our fundraiser party on Thursday evening. Your generosity and presence made this event a real success.
Thank you again for your support!
The CANSEARCH Foundation is fortunate to be able to count on the precious and effective support of its organizing committee for charity evenings. Its role is to define the main axes of the evening, to search for sponsors, lots for the auction and the tombola. They also ensure that the latter runs smoothly before, during and after the evening.
Alix Rivoire
Cathy Wintsch
Gian Cla Pinosch
Stephanie Ansari
The 2019 gala evening was a great success. 870 people were present on this occasion, who showed great generosity in favor of the cause defended by CANSEARCH: supporting medical research on childhood cancer. We are very happy to have been able to raise nearly one million francs thanks to this event.
Press:
Côte Magazine — Trombinoscote
December 2019/January 2020 edition
Article in L'Illustré, October
Cansearch raises one million francs to fight against childhood cancers
Article tdg.ch from 7 October
The Cansearch Foundation funds treatments for childhood cancer
AGEFI article of 4 October
Article from the Tribune de Genève on September 28-29
On Thursday September 14, 2017, the legendary Geneva Arena vibrated for an evening to the sounds of laughter and songs on the occasion of our third charity evening.
More than 850 people attended for an evening of generosity, giving, sharing and hope.
Brigitte Rosset, Cali and the new anthem composed by Nicolas Fraissinet, sung by the children of the HUG Oncology-Hematology Unit, brought laughter, atmosphere and emotions.
Find these moments thanks to the photos below.
Watch the video of the 2017 evening
The Partners
We sincerely thank the following partners for their valuable support for the CANSEARCH 2017 evening:
The 2015 CANSEARCH evening
In October 2015, more than 850 guests were present to support the CANSEARCH Foundation's fight.
An evening to inform and highlight the harsh reality experienced by children with cancer. The evening was also meant to be festive. Bringing together personalities known for their striking humor such as Anthony Kavanagh and Laurent Deshusses. Light displays animated by Lumen, singers like Azania and the Rapilium collective singing alongside children from the pediatric onco-hematology unit, tinged the evening with laughter and emotions. A captivating auction hosted by the famous auctioneer Laurien Hessel.
Exceptional generosity. At the end of the evening, it was more than 850,000 francs that were collected, an amount that will allow CANSEARCH to continue its activities and its fight.
The Partners
We sincerely thank the following partners for their valuable support during the CANSEARCH 2015 evening:
Launch of the Foundation
For the first time, on October 10, 2013, the CANSEARCH Foundation organized a charity evening to present its research projects and raise public awareness about its cause.
More than 850 people took part in this magnificent evening at the Arena, filled with emotions, laughter and generosity. A dinner show featured renowned Swiss and international artists: Bastian Baker, Laurent Deshusses, Yann Lambiel, but also Grand Corps Malade, Eric & Ramzy and Malik Benthala.
A highlight of the evening was the chorus of children from the HUG Pediatric Oncology-Hematology Unit who sang with Bastian Baker.
An unprecedented auction, as well as an exceptional choir formed with children from the Pediatric Onco-Hematology Unit at HUG contributed to the success and magic of this evening, which was entirely financed by sponsors.
This launch evening raised CHF 750,000, all of which will be awarded to the projects of the CANSEARCH research platform in pediatric onco-hematology.
The entire CANSEARCH Foundation team would like to thank you all very warmly for your support, which is so precious to us.
La 7ème soirée caritative de la Fondation CANSEARCH se déroulera le jeudi 17 septembre 2026.
Ces soirées sont des événements majeurs dans la lutte contre le cancer de l’enfant. Elles permettent de financer et de soutenir la recherche médicale menée par nos chercheurs ainsi que tous les partenaires qui nous ont accompagnés dans notre mission depuis 15 ans.
Grâce au précieux soutien des invités présents et de tous les donateurs, la totalité du bénéfice de la soirée sera attribuée à nos projets de recherche et à nos initiatives.
We want to sincerely thank you for your incredible support during our fundraiser party on Thursday evening. Your generosity and presence made this event a real success.
Thank you again for your support!
The CANSEARCH Foundation is fortunate to be able to count on the precious and effective support of its organizing committee for charity evenings. Its role is to define the main axes of the evening, to search for sponsors, lots for the auction and the tombola. They also ensure that the latter runs smoothly before, during and after the evening.
Alix Rivoire
Cathy Wintsch
Gian Cla Pinosch
Stephanie Ansari
The 2019 gala evening was a great success. 870 people were present on this occasion, who showed great generosity in favor of the cause defended by CANSEARCH: supporting medical research on childhood cancer. We are very happy to have been able to raise nearly one million francs thanks to this event.
Press:
Côte Magazine — Trombinoscote
December 2019/January 2020 edition
Article in L'Illustré, October
Cansearch raises one million francs to fight against childhood cancers
Article tdg.ch from 7 October
The Cansearch Foundation funds treatments for childhood cancer
AGEFI article of 4 October
Article from the Tribune de Genève on September 28-29
On Thursday September 14, 2017, the legendary Geneva Arena vibrated for an evening to the sounds of laughter and songs on the occasion of our third charity evening.
More than 850 people attended for an evening of generosity, giving, sharing and hope.
Brigitte Rosset, Cali and the new anthem composed by Nicolas Fraissinet, sung by the children of the HUG Oncology-Hematology Unit, brought laughter, atmosphere and emotions.
Find these moments thanks to the photos below.
Watch the video of the 2017 evening
The Partners
We sincerely thank the following partners for their valuable support for the CANSEARCH 2017 evening:
On Thursday September 14, 2017, the legendary Geneva Arena vibrated for an evening to the sounds of laughter and songs on the occasion of our third charity evening.
More than 850 people attended for an evening of generosity, giving, sharing and hope.
Brigitte Rosset, Cali and the new anthem composed by Nicolas Fraissinet, sung by the children of the HUG Oncology-Hematology Unit, brought laughter, atmosphere and emotions.
Find these moments thanks to the photos below.
Watch the video of the 2017 evening
The Partners
We sincerely thank the following partners for their valuable support for the CANSEARCH 2017 evening:
Jeudi 14 septembre 2017, la mythique Arena de Genève a vibré le temps d’une soirée aux sons des rires et des chants à l’occasion de notre troisième soirée caritative.
Plus de 850 personnes ont répondu présentes, pour une soirée placée sous le signe de la générosité, du don, du partage et de l’espoir.
Brigitte Rosset, Cali et le nouvel hymne composé par Nicolas Fraissinet, chanté par les enfants de l’Unité d’oncologie-hématologie des HUG, ont apporté rires, ambiance et émotions.
Retrouvez ces moments grâce aux photos ci-dessous.
Voir le clip de la soirée 2017
Les Partenaires
Nous remercions sincèrement les partenaires suivants pour leur précieu soutien pour la soirée CANSEARCH 2017:
