Our history and impact

The early years

The Child Growth Foundation was founded in 1977 by Tam and Vreli Fry following a discussion between six sets of parents whose children were being treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital for a variety of growth conditions.

The late Professor James Tanner, a senior endocrinologist, hoped a charity could be created to support his much-needed research into growth conditions.

Growth charts

In the 1980s, the CGF began training primary care staff in the importance of growth, and developed growth monitoring equipment.

In 1989, the CGF funded the development of the UK growth charts, which replaced charts that had been used since the 1960s.

The charts were used in the Personal Child Health Records books, commonly known as ‘the red book’, until 2010 when the Department of Health decided that the new World Health Organisation (WHO) growth charts should be used.

Funding research

The Child Growth Foundation has a strong history of providing funding for research to increase the understanding of, and provide improved treatment and support for growth conditions.

We are very proud of the research projects we have supported, with over £1,000,000 provided by the CGF in grants to researchers who are working to improve the lives of children, adults and families affected by growth conditions.