Increase dedicated funding for childhood cancer research

The Government & Parliament must ensure more research funding in the UK is dedicated to childhood cancer research, which currently makes up only 2-3% of cancer research funding in the UK. We need investment into new treatments, to replace outdated & harmful drugs that have not changed in decades.

I do not want other mums to have to suffer the most horrendous cancer journey like I have. No mother should have to witness their child enduring the most horrific pain caused by cancer, or to witness the debilitating after-effects of outdated and harmful treatments. My beautiful daughter, Sophie, at just 10 years of age, was taken from us on 18th September 2021 by this horrid disease. We must provide more funding to find new drugs and a cure for childhood cancers.

Being diagnosed with cancer is devastating for anyone, especially for children and their families.

There has been a lot of progress in the treatment of childhood cancers over the last forty years, with the majority of children now surviving cancer. Sadly, this is not yet the case for certain childhood cancers such as brain cancer, neuroblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma.

More research is crucial. This is why DHSC spends £1bn per year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). NIHR cancer research spending has risen from £101 million in 2010/11 to £138 million in 2019/20, the largest investment in a disease area.

In May 2018 the Government announced £40 million over five years for brain tumour research as part of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission. This includes funding for childhood cancers.

Funding is invested through the NIHR to support a wide range of research from early translational and experimental medicine research, through clinical, and onto applied health and care research. In essence this will support the translation of laboratory discoveries into treatments and better care for patients, including children.

We are working closely with partners via the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission. The Mission has made truly excellent progress since it was established in 2018. Through the Mission, we have held customised workshops to support the research community in submitting more fundable research applications to the NIHR. We will also be providing funding for the research training elements of the Tessa Jowell Fellowships to train specialist brain tumour oncologists, and thus helping to grow the research community.