Lightitupgold Childhood Cancer Foundation 3.72

Who we are:
Childhood Cancer Foundation (“CCF”) was founded in 2013 by parents and family members of children with cancer. The group originally came together in 2013 to start the Light It Up Gold campaign in Ireland. This campaign runs during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. The first campaign was so well received that a group of parents decided to set up a national paediatric cancer charity to represent children and families affected by childhood cancer in Ireland. Thus Childhood Cancer Foundation was born. Childhood Cancer Foundation was granted charitable status in June 2014. The registered Charity No: is CHY 21198.

Childhood Cancer in Ireland
One in three hundred children will be diagnosed with cancer before their 19 birthday. There are currently over two hundred children under 16 in active treatment for cancer. Treatments are harsh and can cause life long side effects. It is estimated there are over 6000 adult survivors of childhood cancer living in Ireland.

Our Aims:

The primary goal of CCF is to raise awareness among the Irish public of issues surrounding childhood cancer, to advocate for improved services for children and families affected by childhood cancer and to help fund vital supports for parents and children who are affected by this disease.


Our Work to date:

Childhood Cancer Awareness campaign Light It Up Gold.

September is International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Gold is the internationally recognised colour of paediatric/childhood cancer. CCF has pioneered this awareness campaign in Ireland, North and South, with the inaugural campaign in 2013. In 2015 over 100 buildings across Ireland lit up gold for childhood cancer awareness and light it up gold walks were held in six counties in Ireland. These walks serve to raise awareness among communities of childhood cancer and also to bring together families affected by cancer to create support networks for these families.


Launched www.childhoodcancer.ie

Our website aims to be a comprehensive information hub for families of children with a cancer diagnosis. It is the first of its kind in Ireland in the area of paediatric cancer and provides information on cancer types, hospitalisation and procedures, support services, grants, social welfare entitlements and other useful information for parents.

Please also follow us on Facebook: ww.facebook.com/Lightitupgold
And Twitter: @lightitupgold


Established links with national and international organisations that are concerned with childhood cancer and growing and spreading awareness of childhood cancer.

CCF has been enrolled as a full member of Childhood Cancer International. This is an International Umbrella Organisation which represents 177 Parent Organisations in 90 countries. By working in partnership with other child cancer organisations, CCF is better placed to promote its aims and objectives. Membership of such an organisation brings with it the benefit of a wider knowledge base and insight to the many issues surrounding a childhood cancer diagnosis such as for example, the need for psycho-social care for children and their families and the many long term issues faced by survivors.

CCF has the support of the Irish Cancer Society (which does not in fact have a dedicated paediatric cancer focus) and two of our members sit on a Peer to Peer Support Steering Group which aims to provide training to volunteer parents, with experience of childhood cancer. These volunteers will be trained to give support, practical information and reassurance when a newly diagnosed parent needs it most. The parent can speak to a volunteer who is well placed to know and understand what they are going through.

Peer to Peer support aims to: help parents come to terms with their child's diagnosis of cancer; discuss their feelings and anxieties about cancer treatments; give emotional support and practical advice.

CCF also has links with other charities and organisations that are concerned with raising awareness of childhood cancer particularly through “Lighting Up Gold Campaigns” such as A Day of Yellow and Gold in the US and Go Gold Australia. In the US, the Niagara Falls, Time Square, Prudential Tower and Zakim Bridge in Boston and the US Navy Battleship New Jersey have all shone gold to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

Worked closely with Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin (“OLCHC”) to help to improve supports and services for children attending St John’s paediatric cancer ward.

Whilst our primary purpose is awareness and advocacy on behalf of children and their families, we have also achieved the following with the funds raised in our various events:

• funded much needed medical diagnostic equipment for St. John’s oncology ward in OLCHC,
• funded a part-time play specialist position for St. John’s Day Ward,
• funded a research project into use of complementary therapy on children in treatment which will be done as a collaboration between UCD and OLCHC.
• funding the introduction to OLCHC of the Beads of Courage®programme, which is an internationally recognised arts in medicine programme currently in use in hundreds of paediatric cancer hospitals worldwide. OLCHC was first hospital in Ireland to roll out the programme. The programme has been running on St John's ward since December 2015 and has had huge positive feedback from patients and families.

Successfully partnered with corporates in respect of large awareness and fundraising events, namely:

• The Curragh Racecourse for Day 2 of Irish Champions Weekend in September 2014 and 2015.
• Savills for the Savills 100k Cycle and Dublin’s Got Talent in November 2014.