SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES FOLLOWING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Providing financial and psychosocial support to children with cancer and their families
Successful treatment starts and ends with the whole family.
It is hard to imagine the shock, pain and fear a family feels when they hear the word ‘cancer’. Then add out-of-pocket costs like drugs and travel expenses, and many families soon find it hard to cope. As a result, they can end up with mounting debts, pushed further into poverty.
With little financial, practical or emotional support available, it is easy to see why so many children do not complete their treatment.
In setting the UN Sustainable Development goals the international community made ‘Leave No One Behind’ their objective. But the sad fact is that children with cancer are being left behind, as some of the most marginalised and vulnerable children in our world.
At World Child Cancer we believe that a family’s financial situation should not prevent them from accessing treatment. And that supporting a family’s mental health to help them to come to terms with a childhood cancer diagnosis is vital.
Caring for a child’s mental health alongside their physical health is a vital part of the support we offer
Picture shows Nurse Pat and Tiwo at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana
The Work We Do
World Child Cancer's support for families experiencing childhood cancer includes financial, social and emotional support.
We do this by:
- 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 the skills and starting materials to set up their own business. This means they are able to provide for their family once they return home.
Together we can help children and families stay strong in the face of childhood cancer.
Discover More Stories…
Uttam’s Story
Meet Uttam – just one of the 662 children as part of our ‘Closing the Cancer Gap’ appeal, including matched funding from the UK Government.
Read moreAlile’s Story
Discover Alile’s journey through cancer as recounted by her mother, from the initial symptoms to diagnosis and treatment.
Read moreNaa’s Story
We first met Naa in 2016 when she was diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumour at 7 years old. In 2021 the cancer returned and Naa underwent treatment again. She has battled cancer twice and is now back in school.
Read moreJoseph’s update
We first met Joseph in 2019 after he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Find out more how he is doing after his successful treatment.
Read moreKayin’s story
Kayin was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. He is now working as a carpenter and is feeling happy and strong.
Read moreRebecca’s Update
Read more about our catch-up with Rebecca after undergoing cancer treatment through World Child Cancer in Ghana six years ago.
Read moreHassan’s story
14-year-old Hassan from the Machinga district of Malawi was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) last year.
Read moreTiwo’s story
Five years after developing cancer and two years of treatment later, six-year-old Tiwo is doing well
Read moreFranklyn’s Story
Meet Franklyn, now 17, who is fully recovered from cancer and dreams of becoming a doctor to help others
Read moreRebecca’s Success Story
Rebecca is now able to return to school after undergoing cancer treatment through World Child Cancer in Ghana
Read moreMy road to recovery
Prince went on to become a childhood cancer advocate and help many other children just like him when he recovered from leukaemia. Read More
Read moreEstaphanie is excited to start university!
Meet Estaphanie, who is excited to start university after being forced to take time out of school following a cancer diagnosis
Read moreMeet Bulu
Bulu is looking forward to following in his brother’s footsteps getting back on the football field
Read moreMeet Oscar
Oscar was six years old when his mother noticed a swelling on his tummy and took him to a traditional village doctor
Read more