Perhaps it all started with the smile of a four and a half year-old boy who finally let go of his mother's arm to enjoy an arts and crafts program at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House.  Or maybe it was the eventual giggles of a two year-old girl so frightened by her pending radiation treatment that she would not get into position for the procedure.  Or maybe it was simply the heart and soul of someone who wanted to do something special for children with cancer.

Probably all these factors combined to compel one woman to  found the newest and brightest hope for children with cancer.  Matti Contopulos, whose professional background is cancer, devised and implemented art/activity programs specifically for oncology patients and had been in the field for over a decade.

Having seen the courage, strength and need of the children,  Matti found a new way to bring fresh hopes and more than a few smiles to the children with cancer and their families.  Founded in 1987 by Contopulos, Children's Cancer  Research Fund (CCRF) is a  non- profit organization dedicated  to two important goals: to  provide  support on a national level  for clinical research in pediatric cancer and to improve the  medical environment for all children.

CCRF was started with the inception and implementation of a  remarkable project that would help change the medical environment for all children.  Through the combined efforts of CCRF, Superior Surgical Mfg. Co., Inc., and the Walt Disney Company, Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with other Disney characters were imprinted on pediatric hospital gowns throughout the country.

Since 1990, CCRF and Superior Surgical  have been working with Warner Bros. in bringing the Looney  Tunes characters to the medical setting.  Bugs Bunny, Daffy,  Sylvester and their friends are bringing smiles to all children in hospitals.  Matti knew she had  reached her goal of creating a  friendly and warmer environment when UCLA Medical Center  reported that the kids loved the gowns and were "stealing" them!  Continuing Matti's efforts to create a warmer medical environment, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are now on the "What's Up Doc?" doctor's lab coats.

To date, Children's Cancer Research Fund has created and  implemented the following:

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY - Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy on children's hospital gowns throughout the country (1987 - 1990).  The entire royalty donated to CCRF.

WARNER BROS. - Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Sylvester on children's hospital gowns throughout the country (started 1990, ongoing).  A percentage of royalty donated to CCRF.  The gowns and Doctor's lab coats have been featured on the television show ER  (1995/1996). 

RECYCLED PAPER PRODUCTS - KIDS 4 KIDS MAKE-A- CARD project.  A line of Holiday Cards featuring artwork of children (administered by schools throughout the country) sold with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting CCRF (sales beginning Fall 1990). 

Childrend's Cancer Research Fund has created and hosted  many successful events.  To find out about our past events and our events this year, please go to "Events".