Cancer patient and research assistance group PALS has committed $200,000 from its Children’s Care Fund to two paediatric cancer research studies.PALS president and CEO Ann Smith Gordon announced the funds will go to research studies by physicians associated with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.Ms Smith Gordon said: “Because of the Bermuda medical community’s strong relationship with Dana-Farber, it is the board’s policy that grants of these funds should be awarded to research physicians associated with that Institute.“With this year’s grant, research physician Simone Hettmer’s funding for paediatric cancer research now amounts to $483,230, the lion’s share of the $1,583,736 so far awarded from PALS Children’s Care Fund.”John Hill, treasurer of PALS, noted: “This year’s head-shaving events in Bermuda raised the amazing total of $441,697 ($314,119 at BAA; $127,578 at Saltus) of which the majority was donated online to St Baldrick’s Foundation, headquartered in California. Of the total donations however, $108,136 (24 percent) was paid locally to PALS Children’s Care Fund.Kate Daly and Laurel Burgess, chairs respectively of the BAA and the Saltus Upper Primary events, said: “We’re very grateful to all the participants, to the ‘shavees’ (especially the students), to those who donated so generously to these events, and to all our volunteers.”For the past 12 years PALS has partnered with SBF, which sponsors head-shaving events around the world and which is committed to funding research to find cures for childhood cancers.Donors in Bermuda contribute either directly to SBF in the US or to the PALS Children’s Care Fund, whose primary purpose is to provide care and support for young cancer patients in Bermuda — and some money from the SBF events is utilised for that purpose.Ms Smith Gordon added: “Happily, there are few such patients and the great majority of ‘head-shaving’ funds received are made available for research, in line with SBF’s own mission. Every one of the research projects has first been scientifically reviewed and approved by SBF’s scientific advisory committee.”The funds will be split between the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and affiliate the Children’s Hospital in Boston.PALS provides cancer patients with quality care primarily in the home setting in order to enhance quality of life. Their mandate is to assist patients and their families to meet the “physical, emotional and social needs of patients”. And to promote their “health, dignity and independence, regardless of ability to pay, to the extent of the resources of PALS”.SBF is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.