The Three Bears Foundation
At the Three Bears Foundation, our mission is to raise vital funds and increase public awareness to drive forward research into pancreatic cancer—one of the most aggressive and underfunded cancers.
We are committed to supporting families affected by this devastating disease while relentlessly pursuing advancements in early diagnosis, treatment, and, ultimately, a cure.
The Journey
Since our journey began in 2018, we’ve proudly raised over £250,000 for Pancreatic Cancer UK and other local organisations, gained charity status in 2020, and seen over 25 incredible supporters run marathons on our behalf, plus much, much more. Our proudest achievement to date is our groundbreaking partnership with York St John University, through which we’ve helped establish a dedicated research fellow—laying the foundation for long-term scientific progress.
We know this is a marathon, not a sprint, and we’re in it for the long haul. With a growing network of supporters across the UK and ambitious plans ahead, we are more determined than ever to create lasting change.
We are incredibly proud to be co-funding the Three Bears Research Fellow—a landmark three-year research project in partnership with York St John University, with funding matched by the university. This vital initiative is focused on investigating the molecular biology of pancreatic cancer, with the goal of breaking new ground in how the disease is treated.
At the heart of this research is the study of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are known to make pancreatic cancer highly resistant to chemotherapy. But what if this resistance could be eliminated? This project is exploring exactly that question—and could bring us one step closer to more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure. It marks an exciting and proud milestone in our journey to transform the future of pancreatic cancer.
What is
Pancreatic Cancer?
Despite it being a cancer with the lowest survival rate, there is currently no known cure for pancreatic cancer.
Half of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within 3 months and only 2% of the annual cancer research budget goes to improving these statistics.
It takes just one year for cancer to go from stage 1 to stage 4 with pancreatic cancer, at which point there is no cure.
It is vital to fund research into early detection and treatment of this disease.
Set up in loving memory of Jane Burn, who tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Founded in family and rooted in community, the Three Bears foundation was formed when Jane Burn tragically lost her life to pancreatic cancer in December 2017.
It all began with a New York marathon run for Pancreatic cancer UK, the togetherness and support that the Burn family and friends felt during this event meant that many more events were created with the vision of connecting people and raising more funds in the fight against pancreatic cancer.
Since then, countless others have joined Mark and Chris in raising awareness of one of the most under-diagnosed and least understood of cancers – pancreatic cancer.
