One of the major barriers to pediatric brain cancer research is the lack of autopsy tissue available for study. For tumors that can be neither resected nor biopsied, it is the only tissue available. Even for those tumors that were previously banked, it provides access to larger quantities of both tumor and normal tissue than are available via resection. Moreover, autopsy tissue may be paired with originally resected tissue to enable comparison studies.
By offering autopsy tissue donation to families, you will be providing them with an opportunity that may bring them comfort for years to come.
Please read our section on how to offer a family an opportunity to donate.
We have partnered with the Gift from a Child, a program of the Swifty Foundation, that has created a network of Centers of Excellence that accept tissue donations. Centers of Excellence are four labs affiliated with the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC). Each of these labs has the expertise to process a whole brain donation as well as develop cell lines and mouse models from the tissue.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CBTTC Operations Site)
Children’s National Hospital
Lurie Children’s Hospital
Stanford University Medical Center
Each site has a Tissue Navigator staff trained to companion families through the donation process. They will answer questions and will coordinate all aspects of the donation should a family choose to donate tissue. Tissue Navigators from each of the labs work together to facilitate donations throughout the country. A portion of autopsy tissue donated to any of these labs will be stored at CBTTC’s biorepository in Philadelphia.
Call 1-844-456-GIFT or email: info@GiftfromaChild.org to be placed in contact with a tissue navigator affiliated with the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium.
If you have further questions, please contact Elena Gerasimov at elena@kidsvcancer.org