Today, more than three quarters of children survive cancer
In the early 1960s, three quarters of children diagnosed with cancer died. Today, more than three quarters of children survive cancer. However this high overall survival rate hides wide differences between different types of cancer. The treatments used for childhood cancer are toxic, unpleasant and uncertain. As well as finding new ways to treat those forms of cancer, which still have a poor outlook, a major challenge facing doctors today is how to make treatments safer and minimise the risk of treatment-related harm in young patients.
A child will have treatment at a specialist children cancer centre. These are also known as Principal Treatment Centres (PTCs).
Your child also might have some of their treatment called ‘shared care’, at a hospital closer to home. under the guidance of the nearest specialist centre. This is known as shared care and the hospitals are known as Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Units (POSCU). This allows a child to be treated closer to home.
There are 20 principal treatment centres for children with cancer in the UK.
England
Southampton General Hospital (Hampshire)
University College London Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital (London)
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital (Oxford)
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Nottingham Children’s Hospital
Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (Liverpool)
Great North Children’s Hospital (Newcastle)
The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales (Cardiff)
This Christmas we are aiming to send 1,200 heatable cuddly Warmies(R) bears to children with cancer in hospitals and hospices across the UK. Each teddy costs just £12 to deliver and you can add a special message to the one you help to send.
Help send a ted to a hospital bed and give a child with cancer some comfort at Christmas.
Scotland
Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children
Glasgow Royal Hospital for Sick Children
Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
Wales
The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales (Cardiff)
Northern Ireland
Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
Read more information about childhood cancer types, symptoms and treatment.
