In Canada, researchers and clinicians working in pediatric psychosocial and survivorship care often face barriers in exploring unique and innovative ideas for research projects. A critical obstacle is the lack of accessible small-scale funding specifically targeted at early-stage or pilot studies that may not yet have the preliminary data needed to compete for larger-scale grants. This issue disproportionately affects early-career researchers and trainees and often opportunities for mentorship and training are missed. And ultimately, limits the development of new interventions, models of care, and insights that could improve outcomes for children with cancer and their families.

To address this gap, the Psychosocial & Survivorship research theme has launched an opportunity to support three small-scale projects across Canada. This work is intended to empower trainees, and new and emerging researchers to explore innovative ideas, provide a dedicated space for pilot and feasibility testing, and the generation of preliminary data. It will also provide dedicated supervised research time for individuals, increasing their experience and expertise in pediatric cancer and contributing to capacity building of the pediatric cancer research ecosystem in Canada.

These projects will lead to meaningful outputs, such as a conference abstract or poster presentation, and applicants will submit a final report and participate in knowledge-sharing activities to increase visibility and impact.

The outputs of this will serve as critical stepping stones for larger-scale research thereby advancing psychosocial and survivorship research and care in Canada.

For more information, please contact ACCESS Secretariat.