Torch
Igniting Change for Rare Pediatric Cancer
The TORCH (Transformational Outcomes for Rare Cancer Heroes) Initiative is a bold extension of the Isabella Santos Foundation’s (ISF) legacy, dedicated to improving both the quantity and quality of life for young rare cancer patients beyond Charlotte.
Amidst these obstacles, hope persists, and practical solutions for raising awareness and funding rare causes are within reach.
Fueling Progress
Clinical Research
Expanding access to cutting-edge treatments for rare pediatric cancers.
Basic Science Research
Unlocking breakthroughs in cancer therapies through innovative scientific discovery.
Survivorship Support
Enhancing long-term care and quality of life beyond treatment.
Home Hospital Needs
Addressing critical gaps in pediatric cancer care at hospitals serving rare cancer patients.
2026 TORCH Funding Priorities Summary
Through the TORCH Initiative, we’re not just funding programs. We’re changing how pediatric cancer is treated.
In 2025, TORCH hit the ground running, launching our first year of funding, backing urgent ideas and proving that when we move fast and fund boldly, real progress follows.
In 2026, TORCH is funding five high-impact projects across five leading pediatric hospitals in the Southeast.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
At Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, TORCH is helping expand a first-of-its-kind immunotherapy for kids with relapsed neuroblastoma and osteosarcoma — giving children whose cancer has returned a safer, more powerful treatment option and expanding access across multiple hospitals nationwide. Once launched, this approach will also be expanded to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
UNC Medical Center (Chapel Hill, NC)
At University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, TORCH is advancing a groundbreaking brain tumor research platform that uses a child’s own tumor tissue to test which treatments work best — helping doctors move faster toward safer, more effective therapies for rare pediatric brain tumors.
Levine Children’s Hospital
At Levine Children’s Hospital, TORCH is accelerating immunotherapy research for rare sarcomas using patient-derived organoids — allowing doctors to test treatments more accurately, more affordably, and closer to home for families in Charlotte.
MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital
At MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, TORCH is unlocking a potential new treatment pathway for aggressive childhood muscle cancer by testing a promising drug combination that could lead to the first meaningful treatment advance in decades.
Novant Health (Charlotte, NC)
Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital we are strengthening whole-child care through expanded nutrition, mental health and creative art programs that support children and families throughout treatment and survivorship.
Together, these investments reflect TORCH’s commitment to funding bold science, smarter models and faster paths to better outcomes for children fighting rare cancers.
TORCH Initiative Grant Application Timeline & Guidelines
Each year, we invite pediatric hospitals and research institutions to submit proposals that drive progress in clinical trials, survivorship programs and groundbreaking therapies.
Request for Letters of Intent (LOI)
The Isabella Santos Foundation is now accepting Letters of Intent for the 2026–2027 TORCH Initiative, investing $1,000,000 in high-impact work advancing outcomes for children with rare pediatric cancers.
Priority Areas
- Pediatric Solid Tumors
- Pediatric CNS Tumors
- Quality of Life & Survivorship
Key Dates
- LOI Due: June 1, 2026 (5 PM EDT)
- Full Application Invitations: July 1, 2026
- Full Applications Due: September 1, 2026
- Awards Announced: November 1, 2026
LOI Requirements
One-page submission (NIH format) including:
- Background & Aims
- Approach (brief)
- Funding + Timeline
- Impact / Path to clinical outcomes
One LOI per category per PI; no institutional cap.
Funding
- Up to $250,000 per project (category dependent)
- Infrastructure awards up to $75,000
- Direct costs only; max 20% salary support
Partnership Expectations
Awardees will support storytelling efforts, including brief updates, interviews and limited photo/video participation. All activities align with institutional and patient privacy guidelines.
How to Apply
Submit Letters of Intent to info@isftorch.org by June 1, 2026.