Our History
With your support World Child Cancer has helped over 40,000 children with cancer to access treatment and care since 2007
Our journey
Over the past 14 years World Child Cancer has reached 40,000 children and their families. Working with partners in 13 different countries, every day we are one step closer to closing the gap in childhood cancer care.
World Child Cancer was set up in 2007 under the leadership of Geoff Thaxter.
Geoff Thaxter lost his daughter, Lisa, to cancer when she was 12 years old. There are no words to describe this kind of loss. But from his grief came a new determination, and Geoff knew he would do everything he could to help others in the same situation.
Director at CLIC Sargent (the UK’s largest children’s cancer charity) and founding member of the Childhood Cancer Parent’s Alliance, Geoff was an active part of the support community. It wasn’t until he visited a Bangladeshi children’s unit with his wife, Gill, that he saw just how wide the gap in care can be.
When Geoff returned home, his ambition was clear: To make sure every child with cancer has access to the best-possible treatment and care. Enlisting the help of Professor Tim Eden, Dr Raul Ribeiro, Gordon Morrison, and a team of like-minded parents from around the world. Together they set about bringing his vision to life.
World Child Cancer registered as a UK charity on May 17th 2007. A year later, Geoff also lost his life to cancer. It was a devastating blow, but his legacy lives on.
We stand united behind his vision and are committed to improving diagnosis, treatment and care in some of the world’s poorest communities.
Geoff Thaxter
Founder of World Child Cancer
Reaching over 9,300 children in 2021, we want to raise this number to over 16,000 by 2025. It is an ambitious target. But with your support, we know we can get there.