ABOUT CHILDHOOD LEUKAEMIA
Leukaemia is the most common form of cancer in children, accounting for 30% of childhood cancers in Europe. Despite advances in research, current treatments are still causing real harm to children and although chemotherapy has been amazing, it can often lead to severe short and long-term side effects. Sadly, some leukaemias do not respond to current treatments and the disease returns. For those children who relapse their cancer becomes even harder to treat, and their options rapidly begin to run out. For the most common form of childhood leukaemia – acute lymphoblastic – fewer than six out of ten children who relapse will survive longer than five years.
RESEARCH
Professor Tariq Enver at University College London is leading ground- breaking research to investigate and analyse the faulty genes that drive childhood cancer. These findings will improve our understanding of what triggers the disease and causes relapse – knowing this will be fundamental to improving treatment.
HOW THE ALTERNATIVE HAIR SHOW IS HELPING TO FIND MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR CHILDHOOD LEUKAEMIA
The Alternative Hair Charitable Foundation’s dedication to fighting leu- kaemia is truly remarkable. Their incredible generosity to Professor Enver’s research will help to develop kinder and more effective treatments for children diagnosed with this devastating disease.
OUR THANKS TO THE ALTERNATIVE HAIR SHOW 2019
Bloodwise is extremely grateful to the audience, the creative teams, performers and sponsors, who make the Alternative Hair Show such a spectacular event each year. With your support, we are confident that Bloodwise researchers will continue to improve the lives of children with blood cancer. Thank you so much.
ABOUT BLOODWISE
Bloodwise is a specialist blood cancer charity. We are dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by blood cancer, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
To find out more about our life-changing work visit: www.bloodwise.org.uk
WORLD CHILD CANCER
The Alternative Hair Charitable Foundation Africa Project World Child Cancer are incredibly proud of our partnership with the Alternative Hair Charitable Foundation and Leeds Children’s’ Hospital. Whilst virtually every child in the UK who gets cancer is diagnosed and nearly 90% survive it’s very different in Africa. In Cameroon, where the Alternative Hair Africa Project is based, only 30% of children with leukaemia and other childhood cancers even arrive at a hospital that can recognise their symptoms.
Whilst survival rates for some of the more common cancers have increased in the last few years, treatment for children with Leukaemia has only been available in one hospital and survival rates were low. Travel in Cameroon is also difficult and expensive, most people are subsistence farmers, growing what they eat and have little money to spend on transport to hospital or for the costs of treatment, which can take years, meaning many children end up dropping out of treatment.
Thanks to the support for the Alternative Hair Show we have begun a three-year project that is changing this. Since we began the project in January this year doctors from Leeds have been to Cameroon twice. During these visits they have worked with the African doctors to improve the way they treat children with leukaemia, they are also helping a second hospital in another part of the country to get ready to provide treatment for the most routine leukaemia cases, meaning less travel and lower costs for many families.
Your support has also meant we can put in place a transport and treatment fund that will allow us to provide money for children diagnosed with leukaemia at hospitals that can’t treat it to travel to one of the hospitals that can. Sadly, many children do still die of leukaemia and other cancers in Cameroon, so the project is also improving palliative care services so that children have the happiest and most comfortable final days possible. By attending and supporting the Alternative Hair Show you are helping children in Africa with leukaemia, thank you.
