Cure Pillar • Kyra's Hope Foundation
Technology Meets the Fight Against Pediatric Cancer
We fund pediatric cancer research and match world-class tech talent with labs — bridging the gap between breakthrough and cure.
A venture philanthropy initiative by Kyra's Hope Foundation
The Silent Reality
A System That Fails Every Child With Rare Cancer
4%
of federal cancer research funding goes to childhood cancer
8
drugs approved for pediatric cancer in 45 years
$10M
funding gap where 97% of breakthroughs die
<20%
metastatic survival rate for Ewing sarcoma, unchanged for decades
Commercial pharma bypasses rare pediatric cancers because ~600 cases per year doesn't generate ROI. This isn't neglect — it's a market failure that only philanthropy can fix.
The Model
Two Ways to Accelerate Research
We fund breakthroughs with both capital and talent.
The Kyra Gupta Research Grant supports pediatric cancer labs through direct research funding AND dedicated engineering teams — because curing cancer requires both money and expertise.
Track A: Research Funding
Lab Applies
A research lab submits a proposal for funding to advance their pediatric cancer research
We Fund
The foundation provides direct financial grants for pilot studies, translational research, and lab work
Research Advances
Funded labs generate data, validate hypotheses, and move discoveries toward clinical trials
Track B: Technology Talent
Lab Applies
A research lab submits a computational challenge they can’t solve alone
We Match Talent
Our foundation pairs the lab with a team of 3–5 volunteer engineers and a Tech Lead
Team Builds
Fellows work 5 hrs/week for 6 months building ML models, data pipelines, and analysis tools
Research Accelerates
The lab gets 500+ hours of skilled engineering, turning data into discoveries
What makes us different: most foundations write checks. We also deploy engineering teams — each technology grant delivers 520–780 hours of skilled engineering time.
Get Involved
Kyra Gupta Research Grant
Accelerate your pediatric cancer research with direct funding, a dedicated engineering team, or both. We provide what your lab needs to move discoveries forward.
- •Direct research funding for pilot studies and translational work
- •Technology talent: 3–5 engineers + Tech Lead for 6 months
- •Infrastructure support (cloud compute, tools)
- •Focus on rare pediatric cancers
Kyra's Hope Fellowship
Use your engineering skills to fight pediatric cancer. Join a team of peers and contribute to real research at leading institutions.
- •5 hours/week, 6-month commitment
- •Co-authorship on publications
- •LinkedIn credential & portfolio
- •Work on real cancer research data
The Heart
This Is Why We Fight
Kyra Gupta was 12 years old. A beautiful mix of curiosity and compassion, with a warrior's heart. For over 3 years, she endured treatments that have barely changed in 40 years — thousands of rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple major surgeries.
Her final act was to donate her body to medical science so that research could move faster for the next child. Today, her tumor samples are still being studied in laboratories — actively working to save the next child.
“She wasn't just fighting for herself. She was fighting so we'd finally pay attention to what's been broken all along.”
November 9, 2025
Why $10 Million?
The Valley of Death
Breakthroughs exist in labs right now, but they lack the funding to become clinical trials. A $10 million gap means most cures die here.
Academic Discoveries
Preclinical Studies
The Valley of Death
$10M
funding gap · 97% of discoveries lost here
Clinical Trials
Cure
Average journey: 16 years from lab to trial
Our mission:
Fund the Phase 1 toxicity studies and translational research that commercial pharma won't touch. Bridge the valley. Turn lab discoveries into clinical trials. Save lives.
Average delay from lab to trial: 16 years · Data: NIH 2024
Cohort 1
Building the First Cohort
3–0
Research Projects in Pilot
15–0
Fellows in Cohort 1
0+
Engineering Hours Target
Cohort 1 launching Q3 2026. Applications open now.
The Next Breakthrough Won't Wait
Whether you run a lab or write code, you can help change the outcome for children with cancer.
Questions? Read our FAQ or contact research@kyrashope.org