Oracle, a technology company that provides cloud computing and database software, including products for the healthcare sector, has announced support for ChadTough Defeat DIPG, a nonprofit based in Saline, Michigan, that funds research into pediatric brain cancer and assists families dealing with two aggressive childhood brain tumors, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and diffuse midline glioma (DMG).
The foundation traces its origins to 2014, when the families of two boys, Chad Carr and Michael Mosier, confronted the same reality after their diagnoses: DIPG had few treatment options and limited research funding. The two families initially set up separate foundations and merged them in 2021 to form the organization now known as ChadTough Defeat DIPG. Both boys died in 2015.
At that time, total annual funding for DIPG research ranged between $3 million and $5 million. The foundation has since funded more than $44 million for pediatric brain cancer research across 47 institutions and 105 researchers worldwide. Beyond research grants, it runs a program called My DIPG Navigator, launched in 2022, which connects families with pediatric oncology nurses who help them understand treatment options and find reliable information. The program has supported more than 600 families.
"When my son Chad was diagnosed with DIPG, we refused to accept that he had no options," said Tammi Carr, ChadTough Defeat DIPG co-founder. "Children facing DIPG don't have time to wait for a cure. Support from partners like Oracle helps us move research forward faster and bring more hope to families."
"Progress toward successfully treating and curing rare pediatric cancers requires sustained research, strong collaboration, and support for the families navigating these diagnoses," said Colleen Cassity, global head of Social Impact and executive director of Oracle Health Foundation and Oracle Education Foundation. "We are honored to support ChadTough's work to advance research and strengthen resources for children and their families."
