About us
Action Against Cancer has been funding groundbreaking research since 2011. It was the vision of our late Founder and Chairwoman, Hilary Craft OBE, to set up a different kind of cancer charity.
A charity that would take informed risks to fund cutting-edge research that aims high, and examines aspects of cancer never explored in the same way before - to make a significant difference. A charity that with a clear purpose would be run efficiently, light on its feet, with low bureaucracy and overheads.
Hilary more than achieved her vision. In the nine years she headed up the organisation before her sad passing from cancer in 2020, Action Against Cancer raised more than £12 million and funded numerous important breakthroughs. These include the discovery of: a gene that causes cancer; molecules that suppress tumours; and molecules that stop cells multiplying and spreading.
Action Against Cancer provides crucial seed funding to innovative projects that could not secure support from other sources. Larger funders require existing data before providing finance for experiments, and this does not allow for pioneering new ideas - we fill this gap.
In addition, larger funders have long time scales and onerous reporting schedules that take scientists away from their experiments. After ensuring a project proposal is scientifically valid with a peer review process, we grant funds quickly and allow the researchers to get on with their crucial work.
There is still lots more work to do to develop better diagnostics and treatments for cancer patients, and the situation is more acute than ever due to the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic. Action Against Cancer continues to work to fund scientists to push the frontiers of what is possible to save lives.
Read how scientists explain why Action Against Cancer is different from other charities.
To learn more about our inspiring Founder, please click here to read Hilary's obituary .
Action Against Cancer is hugely grateful to our patrons for their generosity and commitment.
