Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Nutrition
We all know how important it is to eat a balanced and nutritious diet.
For a child with cancer, malnutrition can influence the effectiveness of their cancer treatment, their strength, recovery and quality of life.
Providing safe and effective nutritional support for children with cancer is a central part of their care. Access to a balanced diet and supplements can have a big impact on both their quality of life and how well they respond to treatment.
World Child Cancer is committed to ensuring that the children in our programmes have access to the food and supplements they need to build their strength and improve their chances of surviving and thriving with – and beyond – cancer.
Supporting Nutritionists
We support nutritionists in educating families on the best food choices for their child.
Workshops provide in-person guidance, allowing nutritionists to take family members through the different food groups in an interactive way. Local dishes are recreated with nourishing ingredients so that attendees can take away familiar and traditional recipes.
Download Your Free E-Book
Chickpea fritters, rainbow bibimpap and mango rice pudding are just some examples in our FREE, nutritionist-approved recipe book.
Let us know how you get on by taking photos of your recipes and tagging us on our social platforms @wchildcancer
Family
Successful treatment starts and ends with the whole family.
At World Child Cancer we believe that a family’s financial situation should never be a barrier to accessing cancer treatment for their child.
We also know that supporting a family’s emotional wellbeing is a vital part of care and can help keep children in treatment.
With your support, we are:
- Helping vulnerable families cover the cost of treatment, travel and care.
- Providing free hospital accommodation and opening ‘Shared Care’ centres, to allow treatment in local communities.
- Offering tailored information and emotional support (including group and play therapy) to families.
- Providing parents and caregivers with the skills and starting materials to set up their own business. This gives them an income while their child is in hospital and means they can provide for their family once they return home.
Sibling Relationships
Naa has undergone treatment twice for cancer – once when she was 7 years old and again at 11. During her treatment, Naa was missed by her siblings who were sad when she could not live with them. Her sister missed Naa doing her braids and helping her with her homework. To make it easier, they were able to phone Naa which helped them cope when she had to stay in the hospital.
Resources for those experiencing a child cancer diagnosis
Having a child diagnosed with cancer will affect parents or carers, and the people around you. It can sometimes feel very lonely and overwhelming.
If you or someone you know is struggling, we have some online resources available to help people through these difficult times.
How we are supporting families
With thanks to your generous support, we are able to offer a wide range of services to families with children undergoing cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Watch the video to find out more.
Mental Health
With your support, we are able to help improve both the physical and mental health of children with cancer.
Play therapy, group therapy and tailored emotional support help children and families to make sense of their diagnosis and treatment and support their emotional wellbeing.
In Ghana, World Child Cancer funded the renovation of the day-care centre at the Paediatric Oncology Unit at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), giving children a place to learn and play — away from the hospital ward.
Meet Augusta, a Child Life Specialist
Augusta works with children with cancer and their families at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.
“I engage the children in play therapy with games and storytelling, which not only distracts them, but can also help them process what is happening.
Colouring is very therapeutic and many of the children also like to play doctors and nurses and diagnose the dolls!”
What is Play Therapy?
Play specialists help children cope with their fears and prepare for treatment through play, using toys, books, games, props and craft materials. They build a relationship with each child, so they learn to trust them.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ – play specialists base their work activities around how the child is feeling. They can often help even young children manage minor procedures (like lying still for radiotherapy) without having to have a general anaesthetic.
Resources for Children
Paediatricians Dr. Ella Amaoko and Dr. Lily Tagoe created three children’s books in order to help them make sense of their cancer diagnosis and come to terms with what is happening to them.
Beautifully illustrated by Nat Obour-Awuku, the books focus on different characters undergoing treatment, coming to terms with their hair loss and scars and spending time in hospital.
These books have been translated into several languages and are available in some of the hospitals we work with around the world.
The Xploro App
Hospitals can be an intimidating place for children – unrecognisable terms, treatment plans, machinery and different faces can be very overwhelming.
World Child Cancer have worked with x to create the Xploro App – a cartoon version of the hospital that they are attending. Children use tablets to create their own avatar and can explore the wards through the game. Nurses, doctors and medical professionals appear in the app with their real names to help the children familiarise themselves with their surroundings and the staff.
The Xploro App is now used in x hospitals across x countries.
Emotional Wellbeing for
Healthcare Professionals
It’s not just families who are impacted by a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Nurses working within paediatric oncology in low and middle income countries experience high levels of stress, often managing huge workloads and complex emotional situations with limited support.
World Child Cancer has been exploring ways to increase and improve the emotional wellbeing support available to nurses.
Supporters
Last but not least, we want to take the time to say thank you to supporters like you – without whom our work would not be possible. It really does take a village to save a child.
Working across 13 countries, from Bangladesh to Cameroon to Myanmar, you’ve helped us to reach over 40,000 children with cancer and their families since 2007.
So, we want to take the time to shine a light on some of our supporters.
Thank you all for being a part of the World Child Cancer community.
We couldn’t do it without you.
The London Marathon
“I know that my fundraising will contribute to furthering the charity’s remarkable work throughout the world, supporting children with cancer and their families.”
Ryan took on the London Marathon this year in order to raise money for our work.
We still have a few spaces available for 2023. Get in touch at info@worldchildcancer.org to find out more.
David’s Visit to Malawi
“The challenges are great but we were so impressed by all the doctors and staff…The needs are acute but these guys are making a real difference, and always with a smile on their face.”
Supporter David Thomas shares his experience of visiting our team and colleagues in Malawi.
Your help and support continues far beyond September. If you would like to any fundraising events to raise money for the work we do, please go to our Get Involved page or drop us an email at info@worldchildcancer.org.
Your donations and fundraising make a difference. And with 88p of every £1 (or $1.12 of every $1.27) spent going on charitable activities, you can be sure that your donations are going to the people who need it most.
Thank you, as always, for your passion for our cause.
World Child Cancer Social Frame
We’ve created a World Child Cancer frame especially for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Click the below button to create your own version to share on social media.
Don’t forget to tag us!
#WorldChildCancer #NoChildShouldSuffer #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth