Our history
Cancer Research UK began life in February 2002, following the merger of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) and The Cancer Research Campaign (CRC). We are now the world's largest independent organisation dedicated to cancer research.
Parent organisations
The Imperial Cancer Research Fund
The ICRF was founded in 1902 as the Cancer Research Fund, changing its name to the Imperial Cancer Research Fund two years later. The charity grew over the next twenty years to become one of the world's leading cancer research charities. Until merger, it made huge contributions to almost every area of cancer research.
The Cancer Research Campaign
In 1923, a group of the scientists and doctors at the ICRF decided they wanted to focus more heavily on clinical research. So they set up a new charity called The British Empire Cancer Campaign.
This organisation eventually became the Cancer Research Campaign in 1970. The charity also had a glowing track record of achievement across the spectrum of cancer research, before it merging with the ICRF to form Cancer Research UK in 2002.
Page last updated:
December 2004
