Our impact and success

Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) testing

We’re proud to have been a part of a breakthrough that changed the lives of children with leukaemia. In the early 2000s, we co-funded a major clinical trial that led to the development of an innovative test called the Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) test, which measures how much leukaemia remains after treatment and how likely it is that a child will relapse. Today the test is used by the NHS and in hospitals worldwide.

Precision Medicine

In 2017, we invested £3.7m into the development of a new Precision Medicine programme, which involves the detailed genetic profiling of children with cancer and their tumours in order to personalise their treatment plans. This exciting new approach is having a profound impact on results, with doctors now able to use the latest cancer drugs in a kinder way with fewer long-term side effects.

Our work in this area was inspired by the following quote – on 30 January 2015, Barack Obama said:

Doctors have always recognized that every patient is unique, and doctors have always tried to tailor their treatments as best they can to individuals. You can match a blood transfusion to a blood type — that was an important discovery. What if matching a cancer cure to our genetic code was just as easy, just as standard? What if figuring out the right dose of medicine was as simple as taking our temperature?

Supporting the scientific community

We recognise that infrastructure for research is just as important as outcomes. That’s why, since our founding, we’ve provided funding for five research centres in England and Scotland, including the UCL Cancer Institute in London.

We also host and fund a range of scientific conferences and meetings every year, bringing world leading experts together to promote shared learning and collaboration.

Practical help

During treatment, expenses like travel and accommodation can amount to hundreds of pounds per month. We collaborate with partners to ease this burden by supporting families experiencing financial difficulties. Children with Cancer UK also fund ‘patient hotels’ near hospitals, so that families can stay close to their child while they are receiving treatment.

Amazing days out for families

Over 75,000 patients and family members have participated in our ‘amazing days out’. These activities offer some light relief away from the hospital and other challenges. A moment to enjoy themselves and be present with the people they love most. Our families often tell us how much they cherish these memories, long after treatment has ended.

Uniting the children’s cancer community

We believe that when we come together and collaborate in innovative ways, we can make the impossible possible. That’s why we work with a huge range of organisations including other charities, cancer organisations and universities to share funding, knowledge and insights. The more brilliant minds we have working with us, the faster we can find a cure for childhood cancer.

Keeping childhood cancer on the agenda

It is vital to maintain a sharp focus on childhood cancer as a serious problem in its own right. Through our annual conferences, events, initiatives and campaigns we have helped the public and the scientific community understand childhood cancer better, and raised over £300 million. As part of the Children and Young People with Cancer Coalition, we also influence policy for children and young people with cancer.