A Pediatric Oncologist Committed to Fighting Childhood Cancers
Dr. Nathalie Gaspar heads the Adolescent and Young Adult unit at the Gustave-Roussy Institute and leads the SPIASJA program as well as the European FOSTER consortium (Fight Osteosarcoma Through European Open Research). Specializing in pediatric cancers such as bone sarcomas and osteosarcomas, she has dedicated her career to one mission: improving survival and quality of life for young cancer patients. “That’s where I find the most meaning,” she says with conviction. “To try to improve, first, patient survival and second, their quality of life.”
Major Challenges in Pediatric Oncology
When it comes to childhood cancers, the obstacles remain considerable. Dr. Gaspar identifies three priority challenges that urgently require research funding:
Understanding Pediatric Cancers
“We’re dealing with rare diseases,” explains the pediatrician. This rarity requires deploying different approaches from those used in adult oncology, where cases are more numerous. Every euro invested in research helps us better understand these childhood-specific cancers.
Accelerating Access to Treatments
Young patients must be able to access existing treatments more quickly, but also benefit from new therapies developed specifically for them. “There’s still a lot to learn in order to find treatments that are much better suited for all these children and young people,” she emphasizes.
Including Adolescents in Clinical Trials
Dr. Gaspar works within Accelerate’s FAIRE group (Fostering Age Inclusive Research), supported by Imagine for Margo, to include adolescents from the early phases of adult clinical trials. “Medically, it’s feasible, because there are no legal barriers and because that’s where we have the most safety,” she states.
The Unbreakable Bond with Imagine for Margo
Dr. Nathalie Gaspar was Margo’s doctor. She introduced Margo’s parents, Patricia and Olivier Blanc, to Gilles Vassal, marking the starting point of the Imagine for Margo association. “I think they do what we need,” she testifies. “That is, they enable both researchers and clinicians to have the necessary funds to advance both in understanding diseases and in implementing new treatments.”
Why Associations Like Imagine for Margo Are Essential
For the pediatrician, the impact of parent and patient associations is multiple and irreplaceable:
A complementary vision: “They bring a perspective that isn’t necessarily that of professionals. That perspective is extremely important to remind us why we do things.”
Mobilization power: Associations have a unique ability to alert decision-makers and mobilize public opinion, far beyond what a doctor could do alone.
A decisive financial lever: “They have the capacity to raise funds that allow financing research projects or clinical trials that wouldn’t start if they weren’t there.”
A Call to Collective Action to Save Children with Cancer
“The collective is extremely important,” insists Dr. Gaspar. A collective that must bring together patients, parents, researchers, and clinicians to advance research and treatments for pediatric cancers together. Her message is clear and powerful: “Above all, be present, whatever way you want to be present to help research and to help advance treatments for childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers.”
Let’s Act Together to Cure All Children
Without research funding, progress is impossible. Without associations like Imagine for Margo, many vital projects would never see the light of day. Without you, children will continue to die from cancers that could be cured. Every donation, every action, every mobilization counts.
Go. Fight. Win.
Learn More About Pediatric Cancers
- 1 in 440 children will develop cancer before age 15
- Pediatric cancers are the leading cause of death by disease in children
- Only 3% of public cancer research funding is dedicated to children
- 20% of children with cancer do not survive
Support research. Support Imagine for Margo. Save lives.