AN AWARD scheme recognising the courage of children and young people who have faced cancer is being launched today in London.
Around 240 children in the capital are diagnosed with the disease every year.*
Nominations for the Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Star Awards, in partnership with TK Maxx, are now open and families are being called on to nominate young cancer patients and survivors for the honour in the run up to Christmas.
The Star Awards are open to all children under 18 who live in the UK and have been treated for the disease within the past five years.**
There is no judging panel, because Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People believes every child diagnosed with cancer deserves special recognition.
Everyone nominated receives a trophy, £50 TK Maxx gift card, t-shirt and a certificate signed by a host of famous faces, including celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, TV personality Dr Ranj and children’s TV favourite Mister Maker. Siblings are also awarded a certificate.
Calling for more nominations across London, children’s TV presenter, Phil Gallagher from Mister Maker said: “The strength these young people show when faced with a cancer diagnosis is remarkable, and that’s why I’m supporting the Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Star Awards again this year. Their courage and resilience needs to be honoured, and the Star Awards are such a lovely way of doing that and showing them how special they are.”
Cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults, from the types of cancer to the impact of treatment. That’s why Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People is supporting dedicated research to help ensure more young people survive cancer with a good quality of life.
Great Ormond Street Hospital in London is one of the many centres across the UK taking part in groundbreaking clinical trials coordinated by Cancer Research UK’s Children’s Cancer Trials Team. These trials make innovative new treatments available to children with cancer in London/across the region.
One of the trials is searching for the best treatment for young people and adults whose germ cell tumours have come back, or who treatment has stopped working for. In the TIGER study, the team will compare standard chemotherapy (the chemotherapy that’s usually given) with a higher dose to identify which is best for patients.
