Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation (CCCF) began in 1970 by a group of parents whose children had been diagnosed with cancer. They came together to lobby for more research, and to support each other through the diagnosis and treatment of this life threatening disease at a time when very few children survived. Today, CCCF is one of the largest grassroots, national organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children and adolescents with cancer and their families. Together with their local affiliates who provide the direct support with families, they address the critical needs that families face today. As a grassroots leader in the childhood cancer community, they speak for the needs of the families and survivors. Doing so, they help shape policy, research, and programs on the national level that affect the lives of families today and tomorrow.