Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
02 September 2014 09:22
A charity has warned about the lack of awareness to childhood cancers
Many people are unaware of childhood cancer, a charity has discovered.
According to research by CLIC Sargent, a cancer charity for children and their families, there is a lack of awareness across the country of the number of children affected by cancer.
In truth, 1,600 children up to the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK. But the charity's survey shows a third of people underestimate this figure, and a quarter are not aware of the number.
Meanwhile, the poll found 32% underestimate the number of miles a family travels to attend hospital appointments and receive treatments at specialist centres - with the distance being 60 miles on average. Around one in five was not aware of this distance.
Lorraine Clifton, CLIC Sargent's chief executive, says it appears that "many people simply do not know that children get cancer".
She says such a diagnosis and resulting treatment - that in some cases can continue for up to three years - can have a devastating impact, often leaving families feeling "overwhelmed" at the "emotional, practical and financial implications" needed to be considered.
Which is why measures such as pre-existing medical travel insurance can offer some peace of mind before holidaying with a child suffering from a long-term illness.
Financial implications can amount to an extra £4,400 a year needed to be factored in to family budgets, though more than a third - 34% - were unable to predict this.
However, the majority of the 2,128 adults surveyed - 85% - agreed that families affected by cancer should have access to financial support throughout the course of a child's treatment.
And furthermore, a similar proportion thought emotional support should be available to families for the same length of time, with 79% saying this should be extended to give a child and their parents access to trained professionals for as long as they wish.
September marks the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
22 September 2017
A new computer code that can be applied to GP surgery data could be the answer to identifying those most at risk of developing bowel cancer.
[more...]
21 September 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning over a growing resistance to antibiotics.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.