HOW IT BEGAN
The History of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF)
The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation’s (CCF) mission is to find a cure and improve the quality of life for those affected by cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). Founded in 2006, in Salt Lake City, UT, by a family who lost a loved one to cholangiocarcinoma, CCF has grown to become the leading global resource in research, education, and public awareness.
OUR CORE VALUES
What We Stand For
PATIENTS FIRST
We always put patients first. Our goal is to improve their treatment options and find a cure.
COLLABORATION
We lead collaborative efforts, bringing scientists, clinicians, and healthcare providers together to share research, resources, and funding.
URGENCY
We urgently improve methodologies, technologies, and partnerships to energize and drive our programs, research, and funding strategies.
INNOVATION
We provide vital resources, education, and support to cholangiocarcinoma patients and their families.
WHO WE ARE
Putting Patients First
Our mission is to find a cure and improve the quality of life for patients with cholangiocarcinoma.
- Our work is most successful when patients are prioritized because it ensures that studies and programs are aligned with the actual needs, experiences, and outcomes that matter most to those directly impacted. By centering patients, we enhance relevance, foster trust, and drive innovations that translate into real-world benefits, ultimately leading to improved treatments and quality of life.
- We promote collaboration and innovative research that opens new pathways for diagnosis and drug discovery
- We value diversity and inclusion: CCF recognizes our diverse patient community and is committed to serving every patient everywhere. We believe that diversity is a strength and that collaborative, inclusive efforts are essential for making progress on this cancer. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where every individual is valued, respected, and heard, as various insights and perspectives continually shape our work.
WHAT WE DO
The Foundation has awarded more than $7.3 million in funding for innovative, high-quality research. In accordance with the Foundation’s Research Philosophy, CCF supports promising projects that are less likely to get traditional funding. Open-access research that catalyzes collaboration and focuses on finding a cure is a core value of the program.
CCF’s Annual Conference is unique; not only does it bring the clinical, medical and research communities together, but it includes patients and caregivers. CCF believes that those living with cholangiocarcinoma have a direct stake in their own medical care and are in a unique position to provide input. CCF’s conference programming addresses questions and concerns that are important to patients and their families.
Patients and caregivers—having experienced the disease firsthand—are invited to learn about cholangiocarcinoma, share their personal experiences, and contribute to future efforts to further cholangiocarcinoma research. Patients are central to all CCF efforts.
A global collaboration of research groups from renowned institutions that are working in concert to improve knowledge about cholangiocarcinoma etiology, prevention, early detection, treatment and prognosis .
Facilitates multi-center basic, translational, and clinical research to ensure rapid translation from bench to bedside.