Our philanthropic activity
Our new Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery is one of the world’s most important buildings, discovering treatments that aim to turn cancer into a disease that can be controlled long term and effectively cured. Find out how we’ve raised funds for our revolutionary new building.
Supporting the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery
The building is the first of its kind to host hundreds of scientists from different disciplines under one roof to lead an unprecedented ‘Darwinian’ research programme.
Pipette painting marks pioneering cancer research
Street artist James Cochran created a unique work of art symbolising the challenge we face to overcome cancer’s ability to evolve resistance to drugs. Cell Defence was created using the same kind of pipette used by our researchers.
Cancer’s last note
We teamed up with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to create an ‘unfinished symphony’ for cancer research. The highs and lows of the music reflect historic successes and frustrations of cancer research.
‘Poem on a pill’ cuts cancer down to size
We worked with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage to write a poem that was engraved a pill, symbolising our goal to ‘finish’ cancer by turning it into a manageable disease. The poem, Finishing It, conveys the precision science that underpins cancer treatments.
Finished symphony
Following on from our ‘unfinished symphony’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the score for the remaining quarter of the symphony has now been released, inspired by the completion of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery.
Lab coats become canvases
We worked with leading textile artist Rosalind Wyatt to transform three of our scientists’ lab coats into powerful works of wearable art. The coats were intricately hand-stitched writing and illustrations from children and adults with cancer.
Carols from Chelsea
We look forward to celebrating the festive season at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Tuesday 3 December 2024.
Support our appeal
We have completed work on our new state-of-the-art drug discovery centre to create more and better drugs for cancer patients. We still need your support to help finish equipping the centre and to continue to fund the exciting work that is now taking place within the building.
Get in touch
To find out about more ways to support our new and exciting centre, please contact Hannah Joyce, Head of Philanthropy at The Institute of Cancer Research.