Kids Like Us

Children with Cancer UK is proud to announce Kids Like Us, a landmark documentary feature which will fundamentally change the way we view paediatric cancer and the issues that surround it.

The 90-minute film is produced by Echo Velvet (the producers of ITV’s critically acclaimed documentary It’s Showtime) and follows the extraordinary lives of eight remarkable young people from across the UK and US.

The film will premiere on Wednesday September 11 with a red-carpet VIP event at Cineworld, Leicester Square, sponsored by pladis, and will then be available to stream on Sky from September 12.

The cast – Tia, (12, from West London), Eve, (16, from Portsmouth), Dulcie, (7, from Telford), Leighton, (10, from Birstall), Harry, (10, from Fife) and twins Alec & Aden, (10, from Fort Worth, Dallas) and Zuza, (12, from Waukesha, Wisconsin) – are all, disarmingly funny, brutally frank, astute and incredibly wise beyond their years, and they all share one thing in common: the reality of navigating life after a cancer diagnosis.

Throughout the film the children narrate their own stories, and interview each other about their shared experiences in a manner that is engaging and relatable and packed full of the type of humour you’d expect from a bunch of typically mischievous and cheeky everyday kids.

Above all, Kids Like Us is a deeply honest and eye-opening portrayal of the reality of their lives.

The premiere will be introduced by Nile Rodgers of Chic fame, himself a two-time cancer survivor, who describes Kids Like Us as “brave, bold, honest and enlightening”.

David Gibbs, Chair of Trustees at Children with Cancer UK says:

Our hope for this powerful film is that it sparks a conversation about the reality of childhood cancer for those it affects. Every day in the UK, 10 children and young people receive a cancer diagnosis and have to face tough treatments often lasting years. Sadly, cancer is still the biggest cause of death for children under the age of 15, and yet less than 2% of UK cancer research funding is targeted at children’s cancer. Children with Cancer UK is doing all it can to change this by creating more awareness, more funding and ultimately ensuring more children and young people survive cancer.

Tania Alexander, Executive Producer of Kids Like Us says:

Myself and the team feel incredibly privileged to have been able to spend time filming with these remarkable and inspiring young people. During the making of the film, their energy, honesty and humour was overwhelmingly infectious and the film really captures that mix of emotions. Paediatric cancer is a subject that is too often shied away from, and these kids, telling their own stories in such a candid and compelling way, deliver a very important message in a manner that we can relate to and understand.

Salman Amin, CEO pladis comments:

Our founders believed that every child deserves happiness. Over the years, this belief has endured, evolved and inspires us every day. We are active in community projects all around the world, making a difference to those who need a helping hand. In sponsoring Kids Like Us, I hope that it helps initiate the necessary conversations around research into less invasive cancer treatments for children. This film is heart-warming and heart breaking in equal parts, but the courage of these eight children should be an inspiration to us all.

Notes for editors:

pladis are the proud sponsors of the Kids Like Us premiere event.

Children with Cancer UK is a leading children’s cancer charity dedicated to raising and investing funds into vital specialist research to save the lives of children and young people with cancer. Our mission is to improve survival rates and the quality of survival in young patients, and to find ways to prevent cancer in the future. Whilst working towards this, Children with Cancer UK funds support for children and their families as they navigate treatment. What began as a small memorial charity in 1988, has evolved into a major force raising more than £300 million and investing in over 300 pioneering research projects. 

For more information about Children with Cancer UK, visit www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk 

pladis is one of the world’s fastest growing snacking companies and home to much loved brands including McVitie’s, GODIVA and Ülker. pladis also owns regional brands Jacob’s, Go Ahead, Flipz, Turtles, BN, Verkade and many more products across sweet and savoury biscuits, wafer, cake, and chocolate.

Formed in 2016, pladis is the proud steward of over 300 years of family baking and confectionery experience. The expertise of its 16,000-strong global workforce spans 27 bakeries across 11 countries and is founded on collaboration, agility and resilience. As a responsible business, delivering the highest quality products and exceptional service, pladis’ products have the potential to reach more than four billion people across the world.

 The integration of GODIVA into pladis started in 2023 and this process will complete in 2024. As a global leader in premium chocolate, GODIVA was founded in Brussels in 1926 by master Belgian chocolatier, Pierre Draps. It has an established global footprint across more than 100 markets where customers can expect to find GODIVA products in many fine retailers, online, and, depending on the market, at brick and mortar locations like boutiques and cafes.

Prior to its integration, GODIVA Company was acquired in 2008 by pladis’ parent company, Yıldız Holding of Türkiye. pladis and the GODIVA Company are wholly owned subsidiaries of Yildiz Holding.