About Us

Founded as Leukemia, Research, Life (LRL) in 1981 and renamed Kids Without Cancer in 2011, this remarkable organization has, for the past 40 years, been raising money to fund the pediatric cancer research being conducted at Children’s Hospital of Michigan and its affiliates Wayne State University and the Karmanos Cancer Institute. In fact, this organization is proud to be the largest contributor of funds to pediatric cancer research at Children’s Hospital of all charities solely dedicated to funding cancer research.

The organization was founded by a small group of concerned parents with one thing in common: they had children in cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. At that time only about 50% of kids diagnosed with cancer would survive.

Unwilling to sit idly by while their children suffered, these parents agreed to work together to help find a cure. They harnessed their collective energies and began raising funds for the dedicated doctors and researchers doing cutting-edge research at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. To speak directly to one of these founding members you need only attend one of our events or a monthly membership meeting – they are still very actively involved in running the organization and raising funds.

Thanks to research the survival rates for many childhood cancers have improved dramatically. Back in 1981 half of all kids diagnosed with cancer would die from the disease. Today the average survival rate is nearly 80%. We have come a long way but there is still a lot of work to be done. We will not rest until a cure is found.

Our Mission

To eradicate childhood cancer by funding the cutting-edge research being done at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, together with its affiliates Wayne State University and the Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Our Vision

A world in which no child has to suffer with or die from cancer. A world of Kids Without Cancer.

About Children’s Hospital of Michigan

Children’s Hospital of Michigan is the first and only hospital in the state dedicated exclusively to the treatment of children. A leader internationally in neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology, oncology, and diagnostic services, it is ranked one of America’s best hospitals for children. More Michigan pediatricians are trained at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan than in any other facility. Staffed by more than 2,000 employees, Children’s Hospital of Michigan has 460 physicians, 125 pediatric specialists and 600 pediatric-trained nurses.

Quick Facts

  • Cancer is the #1 killer of disease of children in the USA
  • Each year approximately 12,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer in the US – about 32 kids every day
  • One child in 330 will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 20
  • 20–25% of kids diagnosed with cancer are not cured

Although major advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer, significant challenges remain.

Our goal is to overcome these challenges.