NO parent should have to watch their child die, but Ren Pedersen has turned his tragedy into a lifelong commitment to help save the lives of others.

In 2009, the Townsville man lost his nine-year-old daughter, Amy, to an aggressive form of brain cancer known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

Since then, the determined father has headed The Cure Starts Now, which is gaining national and international traction and has raised more than $3 million.

“It’s not until you immerse yourself that you soon learn brain tumours kill more Australian kids than any other illness,” he said. “We started from nothing. We’ve been working in with institutions across Australia to implement autopsy samples from parents who have lost their children.”

Mr Pedersen said he was told his quest was impossible, but more than 100 types of autopsy samples have now been provided.

“For the first time ever, Australian scientists have had actual tumour tissue to study. Then we formed a national registry (so) all the data that’s analysed can be shared, and that’s grown to an international registry,” he said.

“We’re trying to cure the toughest cancer known to man, and that’s no small task.”

While Mr Pedersen owns a crane business, the charity is also a full-time job.

“I can do a lot of stuff inside the cab,” he said. “I don’t waste one minute of any day.

“You’re dealing with children who are being fed through an IV tube who can’t even lift a fork up.

“They are the bravest, most inspiring kids. When my daughter passed away, I promised her I wouldn’t give up.”