THE Future Fund - a new campaign to establish a specialist children’s cancer research centre in the region - has received its first major donation.

The North East Children’s Cancer Research (NECCR) charity has pledged £500,000 towards the £5.5 million goal to create Newcastle University Centre for Childhood Cancer. Once added to other funds raised, the donation brings the new total to £700,000.

The NECCR is a partner in the Future Fund, along with Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals’ Great North Children’s Hospital and its donation marks a new milestone in its mission to support world-class childhood cancer research in Newcastle.

Professor Josef Vormoor, Director of the NICR and honorary consultant paediatric oncologist at the Great North Children’s Hospital, said: “The NECCR has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today in terms of our expertise, our facilities and our reputation and we are incredibly grateful for everything it has helped us to achieve to date.

"This donation and the charity’s support for our new plans signal the latest chapter in a very successful relationship that will continue to benefit children and ultimately save lives.”

The new centre will provide state-of-the-art resources to ensure researchers and clinicians advance their work to develop new treatments with fewer side effects.