Children with cancer should not walk alone. Our communities and our health systems must be designed to support a child and the family through their journey back towards health.

Unfortunately, for many children around the world, health care systems are not responding to their needs. Where a child lives is the greatest determinant of the care and support he or she will receive. This is not equitable and a threat to social cohesion and sustainable development everywhere. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that health is a communal good and health systems must be designed to care for everyone, particularly the most vulnerable.

In 2018, the World Health Organization launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer to ensure that every child has the best chance to survive regardless of circumstance or setting. The first two years have yielded great progress as we have seen effective implementation of the CureAll approach in more than 15 countries.

This is just the beginning. We remain fully committed to work with governments and partners around the world to reach our target of improving survival and reducing suffering for all children with cancer. Together, we can make a difference and support every child with cancer and their families around the world.

Every year 400.000 children are diagnosed with cancer. Every year there are 400.000 children and families whose lives will change dramatically with this diagnosis. All these families will do the impossible to save their children. It is up to us, the global childhood cancer community, to contribute to the future of these children. It is up to us to erase from our reports the statistics that say:  every 3 minutes a child dies of cancer.  

On International Childhood Cancer Day, we speak with one voice: the voice of children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer from all over the world, especially where survival rates are scandalously low. On this date the whole childhood cancer community holds hands to draw attention to this human challenge. We must – and we can – improve survival rates, especially in LMIC. On ICCD we also look at everything that is being done – from Latin America to Europe, from Asia to Africa - and fill our hearts with hope. In every corner of the world, we see progress, partnership, dedication, competence.

All over the world parents and caretakers play a vital role in the future of children with cancer. Better survival is possible. And it is achievable through their hands. ​

Every day more than 1,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. This represents a life-changing journey for families all over the world.

Childhood cancer is curable for the vast majority of children when diagnosis is made timely and essential diagnostic, therapeutic and supportive care services are accessible. However, inequalities in outcomes exist within and between countries, particularly for the majority of the world’s children who live in low- and middle-income countries.​ 

Everywhere in the world, there are motivated, skilled and hard-working health care professionals and members of the civil society and governmental agencies that fight tirelessly with families to save more children. Step by step, progress is being made in all settings as the experience in many low and middle-income countries show. SIOP, in association with WHO and CCI supports our workforce with education, partnerships and advocacy so we can join forces to achieve more together. Each and every one of us have a role and we all are partners in this journey. Every International Childhood Cancer Day is an opportunity to give hope to the children and families and a tribute to everyone involved in the care of children and adolescents with cancer who dream of a better future.