September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and plays a critical part in raising awareness of this cruel disease in such young people.

Did you know that every day around 10 children and young people will receive the devastating news that they have cancer? Of these 3755 young people, 1645 are aged between 0-14 years. Most shockingly, 2 out of the 10 diagnosed will not survive. And those that do survive, may suffer long-term side effects which could impact their lives forever.

We have all heard of childhood cancer, but do we really know the impact the disease has on the lives of children and their families? There is the fear and uncertainty the future has in store; the hospital visits, tests, and procedures; financial and family stress which is at its worst now and the pain and side effects of the gruelling treatment. Life is turned completely upside down and will NEVER be the same again.

Cancer is the most common cause of death in children and yet the funding put into research isn’t good enough. Many charities are constantly working to fund research specific to common cancers in children. Children get different cancers with the most common being leukaemia, brain tumours and lymphomas. The cancers look different and respond differently so must be treated in a different way.

Whilst the main aim of our research is to find a cure, the work that The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation funds is more for a short-term solution by finding kinder treatments with fewer side effects.

We believe every child and young person has the right to grow and fulfil their dreams and aspirations and will continue our work until we are no longer needed because a cure has been found.