Childhoodcancer

Dear Editor, This is childhood cancer awareness month, and as the UK’s leading charity supporting children and young people with cancer, CLIC Sargent is highlighting the financial impact of cancer on families. In the UK, it’s an average 60-mile round trip to hospital for children and young people to get to life-saving cancer treatment, with many travelling much further. This isn’t by choice. Many young cancer patients have to travel to specialist centres to get the care they need – they can’t just go to their local hospital. That 60-mile trip can cost families an extra £180 a month when treatment is at its most intense. This is at a time when other costs have risen and one or both parents may have given up their job or cut back their hours so they can be with their child. It’s bad enough that families are having to deal with the devastation of their child having cancer, but many are struggling with the cost of taking their child to hospital and many are being plunged into debt. On top of the emotional and practical stresses of cancer, this isn’t right or fair. People in the community can help support getting a families CLIC Sargent facing gold cancer ribbon by pin badge. They’re available at Morrisons stores, JD Wetherspoon pubs or selected H Samuel and Ernest Jones stores, or can be ordered online, for a suggested donation of £1. opportunities We also have and lots are of fundraising calling on the community to sign up to Challenge60. You could run 60 miles throughout the month (two miles a day), complete a 60-mile bike ride, or even hop, we don’t mind! We’d like to thank the community for their ongoing support. Their efforts mean CLIC Sargent can be there for the children and young people of Airdrie and Coatbridge with cancer, keeping families together by providing Home from Homes near hospitals and financial grants for support. Visit clicsargent.org.uk/ccam for more information about childhood cancer awareness month. Carol Jones, CLIC Sargent