Dr Lisa Pilkington has come a long way since being a keen little scientist making “medicine” in her back yard, fiercely determined to help others and make a difference. Lisa is a cancer researcher AND cancer survivor, receiving her diagnosis at the age of 22. With support and inspiration from her family and role models (Dame Juliet Gerrard, and mum to name a few,) we fast forward 12 years and find Lisa in remission and dedicating her time to helping others with cancer. Lisa is now working on big research to help discover a ground-breaking treatment to fight cancer in children.

“An experience like that never quite leaves you and I use this experience to motivate and drive me everyday, hoping that my work will one day help others”

Cure Kids is proud to have Lisa on board as a leading researcher in one of our nine successful 2022 Innovation and Discovery Round grants. Her research is focused on investigating the development of a therapy for Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive type of brain tumor among children. Lisa states, "Children represent so many possibilities and hope, and it is very humbling to know that mine and my collaborator's research might one day give these things back to children fighting against cancer."

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science seeks to highlight the inequalities and under-representation of women in science and research the world over, and raise awareness towards closing this gap. But on a deeper level, this day represents the inextricable link between an inclusive leadership approach and effectively addressing todays’ greatest challenges to modern society. Armed with inimitable resilience and determination, Dr. Lisa Pilkington exemplifies not just the importance of women in science, but that women in science are essential. Our collective abilities are increasingly vital as we manage and adapt to challenges at a global level, and the inputs of women and their unique perspectives contribute to enhanced ingenuity and innovation as we look to tackle the most pressing child health concerns.

“I think that everyone has a very unique viewpoint and way of thinking and solving problems. We need to embrace and encourage such diversity as it allows us to tackle big scientific challenges (especially those that we are facing at the moment, on a global scale!) and come up with solutions. Girls and women can do anything, most of all be drivers for change and advancement which are critical for scientific success”.