Over 300,000 children aged from birth to 19 are diagnosed with cancer each year with the awareness raised by International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) on Saturday 15 February 2020 important in supporting the search for a cure.

Research is vital in working towards this goal and in developing kinder, more effective treatments.

“This International Childhood Cancer Day in the Children’s Cancer Research Unit (CCRU) we are hard at work to improve the diagnosis, treatment and long-term survival for children with cancer; and to also to be advocates by raising awareness about childhood cancer and supporting all of the children and young people along with their families. We're using science to make kids cancer a disease of the past,” says A/Prof Geraldine O’Neill, Acting Head of CCRU, the research dedicated arm of Cancer Centre for Children at Kids Research.

The international focus of ICCD raises the profile of low and middle-income countries where the rate of cancer survival in children is lower than in more affluent countries.

In making progress to correct this inequality, and provide care for all children everywhere, the target goal is the double the current cure rate worldwide by 2030. This will save an additional one million lives over the next decade.

Research and collaboration, nationally and internationally, are the key to curing childhood cancer. The CCRU, with its cutting-edge research and participation in multi-national initiatives, hopes for a world that is free from childhood cancer. Funds and awareness raised by International Childhood Cancer Day generate progress towards making this dream a reality.

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Find out more about the Children's Cancer Research Unit.