The Ella Toulouse Foundation for Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancers was created by Cassie and Jean-Baptiste Toulouse in memory of their daughter Ella, who died at age 23 from a rare and aggressive cancer. Hosted under the aegis of Fondation ARC, France’s leading independent cancer research foundation, the foundation funds innovative medical research to better understand and treat AYA cancers, with a particular focus on solid tumors and the role of epigenetic mechanisms in their development and growth.
Cancers affecting adolescents and young adults are biologically distinct from those in children and older adults, yet research for AYA cancers remains disproportionately limited and underfunded, and this group continues to be underrepresented in clinical trials. As survival gains lag behind those seen in pediatric and older patients, the foundation is committed to closing this gap by supporting the acceleration of discoveries that can improve diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes for AYA patients.
Its vision is one of international collaboration in service of a shared goal: bringing together researchers across disciplines and borders to advance understanding of AYA cancers, open the door to new therapeutic approaches, and honor Ella’s memory by helping ensure that more young people and their families have access to better answers and better care.
Building on their experience in rallying grassroots support for SMARCB1 cancers, the type of cancer Ella was diagnosed with, through their nonprofit organization SMARCB1 Hope, the Toulouse family expanded their scope in partnership with Fondation ARC to fund research across all types of adolescent and young adult cancers.
In January 2026, the foundation launched its first research grant call for AYA cancer projects to support fundamental and translational research as well as research in the human, economic, and social sciences, aimed at better understanding the biological, clinical, and psychosocial dimensions of these cancers. Four projects were selected for co-funding with Fondation ARC following a rigorous, impartial review process drawing on scientific experts from North America, Europe and the UK, ensuring that funded research meets the highest standards for scientific merit and potential impact.
The Ella Toulouse Foundation for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers is hosted under the aegis of Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer, a partner of Friends of Fondation de France through which U.S. donors can support cancer research programs: all types of research (clinical, translational and fundamental) in every cancer research field, including genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology, and in any cancer localization.
Photo © Alicia Aubrée Fondation ARC
For nearly 20 years, Hirondelle de l’Avenir has worked with children, young people, and families in underserved communities across Benin, helping them access the education,
Every October 8, DAF Day brings attention to one of the most widely used tools in American philanthropy: the donor-advised fund. For donors, it’s an
Every September, doors open across France that are rarely accessible to the public. Historic residences, government buildings, museums, religious sites, gardens, workshops, places of memory,
