The Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) has received a €60,890 donation from the 9th edition of the Fira dels Somnis in Balaguer, a solidarity initiative held on May 4, 2025, with the aim of supporting childhood cancer research.

The Fira dels Somnis, organized by the Balaguer Association Against Childhood Cancer in collaboration with the Paeria de Balaguer, the Noguera County Council, the Lleida Provincial Council, and the Noguera Educational Service, once again mobilized thousands of people from across the region in a solidarity event marked by strong civic engagement and commitment to biomedical research.

More than 3,000 people took part in the charity run-walk, considered the largest of its kind in the Ponent region. One of the most moving moments of the day was the reading of a manifesto by children living with the disease, who shared their experiences and expressed their gratitude to participants and collaborators who made it possible to raise funds entirely dedicated to research.

Throughout the day, Avinguda del Pere III and Avinguda dels Països Catalans in Balaguer hosted demonstrations, exhibitions, musical performances, and workshops across around twenty thematic areas, featuring nearly one hundred activities. The event involved hundreds of volunteers, as well as the participation of institutions, associations, and community groups from the region.

The Fira dels Somnis represents the culmination of months of preparatory work, including awareness-raising initiatives in the business, commercial, and educational sectors. Overall, the project involves more than 400 organizations and has become a collective city- and county-wide initiative. This year, the event also celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Boosting research in pediatric nervous system tumors

The funds raised will strengthen research into pediatric nervous system tumors at VHIR, a key area in the fight against childhood cancer. According to Dr. Miquel Segura, principal investigator of the Childhood Cancer and Hematological Diseases Research Group at VHIR, “this charitable contribution will allow us to expand the number of experimental models we use to study pediatric brain tumors and to more accurately reproduce the disease.”

Dr. Segura emphasizes that these models are essential to deepen knowledge of the tumor and to evaluate new therapeutic strategies. “The funds obtained will also enable us, among other things, to test new experimental drugs, both as monotherapies and in combination with treatments currently in use, with the aim of improving treatment effectiveness and reducing side effects in children,” he explains.

Another key pillar of the project is the development of precision medicine techniques, particularly liquid biopsy. This approach makes it possible to analyze the tumor using blood or cerebrospinal fluid samples, enabling improved diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment adaptation for each patient through less invasive procedures.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the Fira dels Somnis, Albert Camps highlighted that “this year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Fira dels Somnis and, once again, we have joined forces against this disease by allocating all proceeds to Vall d’Hebron.” Camps stressed that “the success of the fair is the result of a region committed to research and to the future of children with cancer.”