When a child receives a cancer diagnosis, they are often given a combination of chemotherapy drugs, radiotherapy, or proton beam therapy depending on the type of cancer they’ve been diagnosed with. These treatments are generally developed for adults, and thus leave developing children with lasting adverse side affects, both during and after treatment.
During treatment, children may experience fatigue, flu-like symptoms, nausea and vomiting, and more. Long-term, children may suffer from bone density issues that make walking difficult, and hormonal and digestive issues can plague them into adulthood. Treatment can also cause permanent damage to major organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain.
Children suffering from cancer deserve kinder treatments developed specifically for their developing bodies. Without gentler care, we are failing future generations.
Much more research needs to be done on childhood cancer and treatment. Today, just about 2% of overall research funding for cancer goes to childhood cancers. That’s why we pledge 40% of the funds we raise to childhood cancers, particularly rare forms like ATRT.
*Estimated amount based on data from the NCRI Cancer Research Database (CaRD) for 2018/2019
