Washington, D.C. (May 14, 2018) — The Colorectal Cancer Alliance (the Alliance) has announced up to $775,000 in available funding for research in young-onset colorectal cancer, rectal cancer, and colorectal cancer prevention. The Alliance will award up to five research grants for work that will advance its mission of ending colorectal cancer within our lifetime.

The grants are being awarded through the Chris4Life Research Program, which was established in 2010 to honor the late Christine Sapienza and all who are affected by colorectal cancer. The Alliance is committed to investing $10 million in critical research by 2021, including $3 million specifically to young-onset colorectal cancer research.

“Our allies in labs around the nation are pivotal to defeating this disease, and that’s why we are supporting them with investments in ground-breaking research,” said Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Alliance.

Additional funding for rectal cancer research may become available pending further financial support.

Proposals will be accepted now through October 1 on this website. Grant recipients will be notified in December, with funding to commence in January 2019. More information about each grant:

Young-onset colorectal cancer research grants

Up to three 2-year grants in the amount of $125,000 each will be awarded to support research in young-onset colorectal cancer. The focus of research could be, but is not limited to, the following:

• The risk factors and causes associated with the rise in young-onset colorectal cancer.
• Prevention and early detection strategies.
• Better mechanisms for increasing long-term survival rates.
• The psychosocial impacts of young-onset colorectal cancer and the overall social influence on daily survivorship.

Rectal cancer research grant

One 2-year grant in the amount of $250,000 will be awarded to support research on rectal cancer research. The focus of research could be, but is not limited to, the following:

• The risk factors and causes associated with the rise in rectal cancer in adults 55 and younger.
• Prevention and early detection strategies.
• Better mechanisms for increasing long-term survival rates.
• The psychosocial impacts of rectal cancer and the overall social influence on daily survivorship.
• The exploration and recommendations for improvements in the number of cases associated with Low Anterior Resection Syndrome.

Prevention research grant

One grant in the amount of $150,000 will be awarded over a two-year period to support the work of a researcher while working on mentored, colorectal cancer prevention research. The focus of research could be, but is not limited to, the following:

• Improving colorectal cancer screening compliance.
• Improving patient understanding of colonoscopy results, especially implications for diagnosis of advanced adenoma as it pertains to personal and family risk.
• Preventing colorectal cancer and/or advanced adenoma recurrence.

The goal of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance’s research program is to provide funding for innovative projects expected to lead to future funding from other peer-reviewed sources.

For more information about the Alliance, visit colorectalcancer.org. For more information about the research grants, visit here.

About the Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colorectal cancer. Working with our nation of passionate allies, we diligently support the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors, eagerly raise awareness of preventative screening, and continually strive to fund critical research. As allies in the struggle, we are fiercely determined to end colorectal cancer within our lifetime. For more information, visit colorectalcancer.org.