The Big Lottery Fund has allocated grants worth a total of £1.3m to three charities to carry out research projects that support adults and children living with cancer or other life-threatening diseases.
Breast Cancer Care received just under £400,000, Children's Hospices UK was given £421,000 and the Association for Children's Palliative Care was awarded almost £500,000.
Further grants are due to be announced on 2 December.
"This is part of a wider investment of more than £20m for research," said Peter Wanless, chief executive of the BLF.
