Faces of Hope
Real People. Real Impact.
What is
Faces of Hope?
Faces of Hope is a fundraising initiative supporting cancer research through personal challenges.
Its mission is to help young researchers turn promising ideas into meaningful progress, while inspiring others to contribute through sport, and determination.
In 2026, the project moves to Japan, where I will compete in the Ironman South Hokkaido on September 13 to support a Swiss–Japanese cancer research initiative.
Following the Camino de Santiago (2023) and the Zurich Marathon (2024), this marks the third edition of Faces of Hope - continuing to connect personal challenges, scientific research, and the people working every day to create hope.
-
2023 - Camino de Santiago
A solo pilgrimage of 781 km, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, undertaken to support cancer research - one step at a time.
More than 160 individual supporters joined the journey, helping raise CHF 16,088 - approximately JPY 3 million. The full amount was donated to the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Bellinzona to support a promising melanoma research project led by Dr. Tommaso Virgilio.
-
2024 - Zurich Marathon
From a first marathon to a shared mission: a personal challenge transformed into collective impact.
With the support of more than 80 individual donors and companies, the initiative raised CHF 15,036 - approximately JPY 2.75 million. The funds were donated to the Institute for Research in Biomedicine and the Institute of Oncology Research in Bellinzona to support a project led by Dr. Andrea Cavalli, Dr. Concetta Guerra, and Dr. Jacopo Sgrignani.
Their research focuses on the WWP1 and WWP2 proteins, exploring a promising pathway toward potential new cancer treatments.
-
2026 - Ironman South Hokkaido
My next challenge - and my first triathlon - is a full-distance Ironman in Hokkaido, Japan: 3.8 km of swimming, 180 km of cycling, and a 42.2 km marathon.
This new chapter brings together individuals, companies, and friends from Switzerland and Japan, turning personal endurance into support for innovative cancer research.
100% of the funds raised will finance a pilot grant for an early-career researcher developing a Swiss-Japanese cancer research project. The recipient will be selected through a national call for proposals by the Faces of Hope Advisory Board and presented publicly in early 2027.
Where the Funds go
100% of the funds raised will be dedicated to cancer research.
In 2026, Faces of Hope will launch a national call for proposals inviting young researchers across Japan to submit innovative Swiss–Japanese cancer research projects.
The goal is to support a promising early-stage idea through a Swiss-Japan Faces of Hope Pilot Grant, helping a young researcher generate the preliminary data needed to develop the project and pursue larger research funding in the future.
The selection process will be led by the Faces of Hope Advisory Board, bringing together expertise from science, industry and the Swiss–Japanese community. The Advisory Board will evaluate all applications and select the project to receive the grant.
The selected researcher and project will be publicly announced at a Faces of Hope event in early 2027, where donors and supporters will be invited to meet the researcher and learn about the project they helped make possible.
Every donation goes directly to funding this initiative.
How you can support
-
A first step
CHF 5 / JPY 1,000Every journey begins with a first step. Your contribution, no matter how small, becomes part of something bigger.
-
A set of samples
CHF 50 / JPY 10,000Help provide the materials researchers need to test new ideas and move one step closer to future breakthroughs.
-
A key experiment
CHF 500 / JPY 100,000Support the early stages of innovative cancer research by helping make promising experiments possible.
Recognition on the Faces of Hope website and social media.
-
A breakthrough opportunity
CHF 2,500 / JPY 500,000Help provide meaningful support to a young cancer researcher, giving promising ideas the opportunity to grow into future discoveries.
Recognition on the Faces of Hope website and social media, plus a feature in the Faces of Hope Donor Series.
-
-
Donate easily with TWINT
Switzerland only
Advisory Board
-
Mr. Thomas Döbeli
Managing Director
Chopard Japan Ltd. -
Dr. Caroline Junqueira
Group Leader
IRB Bellinzona -
Mr. Shunsuke Kosaka
Human Resources Specialist
Japanese Company -
Ms. Kyoko Suzuki Marumo
Head
Science and Technology Office Tokyo, Embassy of Switzerland in Japan
Researchers we have supported
-
Dr. Tommaso Virgilio
Postdoctoral Researcher
Infection & Immunity Lab, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Bellinzona, Switzerland -
Dr. Andrea Cavalli
Group Leader
Computational and Structural Biology Lab, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Bellinzona, Switzerland -
Dr. Concetta Guerra
Postdoctoral Researcher
Computational Structural Biology Lab, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Bellinzona, Switzerland -
Dr. Jacopo Sgrignani
Postdoctoral Researcher
Computational Structural Biology Lab, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Bellinzona, Switzerland
Media & interviews
-
Radio 3i
Radio Interview
September 25, 2023A conversation with Valerio Ventura on the Cammino per la Speranza mission.
-
Corriere del Ticino
Newspaper Interview
September 27, 2023An interview with Irene Solari about the launch of Cammino per la Speranza.
-
Corriere del Ticino
Newspaper Interview
November 13, 2023A second interview with Irene Solari, focusing on the funds raised during the 25 days on the Camino de Santiago.
-
Il mio Cammino di Santiago
Event
April 12, 2024A conversation with Nina Buffi that brought together over 100 people, donors, and friends, during which the first supported research project was presented.
-
LaRegione
Newspaper article
April 17, 2024An article on the main event and the first pilot grant at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Bellinzona.
-
RSI Rete Uno
Radio Interview
April 19, 2024A conversation with Fabrizio Casati and Tommaso Virgilio about the innovative project supported by Cammino per la Speranza.
-
La Domenica
Newspaper Interview
April 21, 2024An interview with Andrea Bertagni about my personal journey.
-
ATTE Sementina
Presentation
May 14, 2024A conversation with Giuseppe Del Notaro, sharing the commitment to support cancer research.
-
LaRegione
Newspaper article
June 14, 2024An article about the second pilot grant supported by Cammino per la Speranza at the Bellinzona Institutes of Science (BIOS+).
-
Corriere del Ticino
Newspaper article
June 16, 2024An article about the results of the second challenge of Cammino per la Speranza.
Hi, I'm Andrea Nava.
I'm not a professional athlete or a scientist. I'm simply someone who believes that personal challenges can create real impact.
Since 2023, I've transformed endurance challenges into fundraising initiatives for cancer research, bringing together people from Switzerland and Japan around a shared mission.
Through Faces of Hope, my goal is to support the next generation of cancer researchers while inspiring others to discover that meaningful change often begins with a single first step.
Join the journey
I hope you’ll join us on this journey: by making a donation and/or by sharing this initiative with others.
Small steps. Real impact.