Message from our President

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Childhood Cancer International website. Here you will find important information about us: who we are, what we have been doing in recent years, what we are doing now and planning for the future; here you can be inspired by stories of hope and courage. In these pages you will get acquainted with our vision and mission, a mirror of our soul and motivation.

CCI exists for the best possible reasons, but also because of the worst possible challenges. In 1994, a small group of parents came together, determined that families all over the world would not have to face the childhood cancer journey alone. They promised that “children with cancer, no matter where they live, will get the best possible treatment and care”. Since then, numerous organizations, from a wide range of sectors, have seen the competence, dedication and determination we bring to all that we do. We are acknowledged as the global voice of the parents, families and children / adolescents with cancer. We are recognized as a reliable and trustworthy network. The broad range of partners, allies and supporters with whom we work is a reflection and a testimony of the confidence we have been building for the past 26 years.

But we also exist for the worst possible challenges. We exist because somewhere in the world there’s a child diagnosed with cancer who needs the best possible treatment, a parent who seeks consolation in times of despair, a survivor searching for a brighter future. We exist because of the shocking inequities and disparities in terms of care and survivorship around the world; we exist because in many places diagnosis is often delayed, essential medicines are not available, high treatment abandonment is still a reality and psychosocial support is limited; we exist because there are still many children suffering from needless pain, unrecognized malnutrition or untimely death; we exist because survivors must be properly and adequately taken care of and supported in their reintegration back to society; we exist because there are minimal studies in the childhood cancer area, inadequate action for developing less toxic and more targeted therapies, and much more needs to be done in advocacy and awareness building. We exist because the childhood cancer battle has not been won.

Cancer is the leading cause of death for children 0-19 years around the world. It is estimated that the incidence of children with cancer in 2020 will be 413.000 (diagnosed and undiagnosed) from which 328.000 will not survive. Between 2020 and 2050, 11 million children will die from childhood cancer worldwide if no additional investments are made in access to health-care services or childhood cancer treatments.

Because of these appalling statistics, In September 2018 WHO announced a new effort – the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer – with the aim of reaching at least a 60% survival rate for children with cancer by 2030, thereby saving an additional one million lives. The words of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, still echo in our hearts: “too many children have their lives cut short by cancer, and survival rates in poor countries are scandalously lower than those in wealthy countries.” Our non-state actor relationship with WHO puts CCI in a unique position to contribute to this tremendous change effort that will rewrite the cancer journey for children / adolescents.

CCI is more than a name, more than an abbreviation, more than a trademark. Childhood Cancer International is the common home for those around the world that pursue the same goal: fight and end childhood cancer. CCI is the common home for hundreds of thousands of people who work together, suffer together, celebrate together: parents, family members, survivors, volunteers, professionals, health care workers, social workers, political leaders, community influencers and patrons. Different people from different backgrounds who share a common language that binds and inspires us all; it is called hope. Without hope and without everyone’s help we could not aspire to fly higher, to break new grounds and to reach our shared dreams for our children with cancer.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, welcome to our common home.

João de Bragança,

President, Childhood Cancer International