This year, the NACFB is proud to be partnering with The Unbeatable Eva Foundation. The national charity provides vital support to children and families affected by Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare and aggressive form of terminal childhood brain cancer, while also funding critical research and clinical trials.

The partnership was inspired by a moving story shared by a member of the NACFB community, whose daughter Eva was diagnosed with DIPG in January 2020. Despite being classified as a ‘rare’ cancer, a child in the UK is diagnosed with DIPG every nine days, and every diagnosis is terminal. The average life expectancy post-diagnosis is less than 10 months, with treatment options remaining unchanged for 70 years. Eva bravely fought for 12 months and 8 days before passing away in 2021.

Eva’s father, Paul Slapa, shared: "We are absolutely thrilled that the NACFB has selected The Unbeatable Eva Foundation as their charity partner this year. After we lost Eva in 2021, our goal has been to support other families who are going through that same journey, and with many great causes out there doing amazing work, it is difficult for small charities to be able to reach a wide audience.

“This partnership enables us to talk about DIPG, and the impact of this terminal and aggressive brain cancer, on a much broader scale, as well as helping us to continue to support families by enabling them to make precious and lasting memories together – something we know firsthand the importance of."

The NACFB team chose the charity in part due to its small size, recognising the potential for a greater impact. The trade body has set a fundraising target of £30,000. Beyond fundraising, the association aims to raise local and national awareness of The Unbeatable Eva Foundation’s mission to support affected families and drive research into this devastating disease.

A variety of special fundraising activities will be held at all the NACFB’s annual events throughout 2025, including the Commercial Finance Expo in June, the Commercial Broker Awards in September and the Commercial Lender Awards in November.