“We need to stop other children from having to go through this.”

Remarkable advances in diagnosing and treating children’s cancers have transformed the outlook for young patients in recent decades – children like Tommy, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) at just four years of age. Following successful treatment, Tommy now looks forward to enjoying a more normal life.

A huge impact on young lives

Tommy is now eight years old. In April 2021, he started a three-year programme to treat his cancer. Thankfully, his cancer has responded well – and this summer he rang the bell at his hospital ward to mark the end of his treatment.

“All children should get the chance to have a good start in life,” says Chris, Tommy's father. “We need to stop other children from having to go through this.”

But the outlook still isn’t so bright for many other families. Some children’s cancers remain very difficult to treat – and survival rates remain very poor. 

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Even when successful, many children are left with lifelong side effects from harsh treatments. These young survivors have their whole lives ahead of them. So, it’s vital to find effective alternatives to reduce the impact on their long-term quality of life.

A brighter future 

Professor Sir Mel Greaves leads our childhood leukaemia research. His work is uncovering why children like Tommy develop cancer in the first place, opening up new avenues for prevention.

Our scientists are pioneering safer, kinder and more effective treatments for children’s cancer. It’s our ambition to stop cancer from recurring after treatment, and for some cancers, like ALL, to even prevent it from developing in the first place.

We see a future where children with cancer receive new targeted treatments designed to combat their complex biology and evolution – aiming to improve survival without the serious side effects of current treatments.

How your gift offers hope

We want to transform the outlook for children with cancer. Our exciting discoveries will help create a future where children like Tommy can lead better lives, free from the effects of harsh treatments.

Our work is ambitious – and we need your ongoing support to help continue making more discoveries, saving more lives and curing more children with cancer more kindly.

A monthly gift from you will support our research over several years, so it has the maximum possible benefit for people with cancer.

Please donate today. Let’s finish cancer together.

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