CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association

We are CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, a charity dedicated to creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer 💛 We bring together the cancer community. Pulling together to find treatments, better care and cures for children and young people’s cancer. Head to our website to find out more: www.cclg.org.uk Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #CCLG #CYPCancer #CYPCancerAssociation

“I’m thankful that I took note of his symptoms, and although his diagnosis was brutal, it's important to know that such a serious diagnosis need not mean the worst.” Wilf was diagnosed with stage 4 Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in 2022 when he was six years old. His mum, Tori, shared: “Wilf woke up one morning feeling off-colour and with pain in his tummy. He’d recently wet the bed a couple of times, which was unusual for him, but otherwise, there’d been nothing out of the ordinary. "Suspecting appendicitis, I took him to A&E that afternoon. After an initial examination, he was sent home, but we were instructed to return if vomiting occurred. Later that evening, he began vomiting bile, prompting our return to the hospital. He was assigned a cubicle bed this time, and a series of consultants examined him. His blood pressure was high, and his condition worsened visibly. In the middle of the night, he underwent an X-ray, and I distinctly recall staring at the radiographer’s screen and seeing the big white mass on one side of his chest and knowing this wasn’t good news. "He was diagnosed with Wilms tumour following a barrage of scans and tests that revealed an 8cm tumour on his left kidney and lesions forming on his lung, confirming it was stage 4. He had a portacath fitted and received his first chemotherapy infusion under the care of the Royal Marsden. "It was a surreal and awful week. Wilf underwent six weeks of chemotherapy, which cleared the lung lesions, followed by surgery to remove his kidney with the tumour completely. The tumour had breached, but the brilliant surgical team managed to remove it all. He then began 32 weeks of adjuvant chemotherapy to kill any remaining traces of cancer in his body and reduce the chance of it returning. "He completed treatment in 2023, and now at nine years old, Wilf is two years in remission, with scans every three months." Our booklet, ‘A parent’s guide to kidney tumours,’ provides information and support for when your child is diagnosed with Wilms tumour or other types of kidney tumours. Order or download a free copy: https://bit.ly/4hxhJK8 Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #KidneyCancerAwarenessMonth #CCLG #CYPCancer #KidneyCancer #EarlyDiagnosis

Inspired by the work of CCLG: The Children and Young People's Cancer Association, John Connolly is taking on the SuperHalfs Challenge to raise awareness and funds to support children and young people with cancer 🏅 John is running six half marathons across Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia – supporting CCLG's mission to create a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. He began his SuperHalfs challenge, which organisers usually give participants five years to complete, with the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 8. Next up, he’s gearing up for two races in two days in Prague and Berlin this April! Join us in wishing John the best of luck for his upcoming races! 👏 Find out more and support John's fundraising: https://bit.ly/3FC8jiZ Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #CCLG #CYPCancer #CYPCancerAssociation #FundraisingChallenge

📢🌟 The CCLG Annual Conference is back on March 24-25, offering two days of essential updates on best practices and cutting-edge research. The conference, being held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Birmingham, provides a unique opportunity for medical and healthcare professionals to come together and share news and discoveries in children’s and young people’s cancer, with over 700 delegates set to attend each day. Ashley Ball-Gamble, CEO of CCLG, said: "We’re looking forward to welcoming members and delegates to our biggest-ever annual conference next week in Birmingham. We’ve put together an ambitious programme of talks, workshops, panel discussions and more, offering hugely interesting and valuable insights from treatment, care and research, with lots for attendees to take away and put into practice. There are also lots of opportunities to come together and connect with peers, to build and cement relationships to foster collaboration and drive progress. "As our first conference as CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, colleagues across the children’s, teenage and young adults' cancer community will be able to come together and share knowledge and expertise – ultimately to the benefit of the children and young people under their care." Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #CCLG2025 #CCLG #CYPCancerAssociation

“Our story didn’t have a happy ending, but it’s important to us that out of a sad time, we can do some good not just as a family but as a community.”    Nate Gidman was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumour, in 2020, shortly before his fourth birthday. Despite undergoing months of gruelling high-dose chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, he died in February 2022.    Since his death, the annual Nate Gidman Memorial Match has been raising funds for CCLG with his parents, Phil and Nicola, determined to help other families of children with cancer 💛    With many of the players involved being fellow fans of Tranmere, Nate’s match takes place yearly on the morning of the club’s closest home game to the anniversary of his death.     This year’s contest took place at New Ferry Park on February 15, with Nate’s Rovers coming out 7-3 winners against Sands United Ipswich, a team comprised of fathers impacted by baby loss – raising more than £4,000 for CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association. Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #CCLG #CYPCancer #CYPCancerAssociation #BrainTumourAwarenessMonth

Is childhood cancer inherited? 🧬 Most childhood cancers aren't, but there is a small number of patients who have inherited an increased risk of developing cancer. Join us for our next CCLG Research Talk to learn more about when childhood cancer runs in the family from Dr Mette Jorgensen. 🗓️ 19 March 2025 ⌚ 7 pm Mette is a leading Paediatric Oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and works with families whose children have a higher risk of developing cancer, helping to catch it as early as possible. Everyone is welcome to join and ask questions! Sign up for your free place now: https://bit.ly/43bTa1G Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #CCLG #CCLGResearchTalk #CYPCancer #CYPCancerAssociation

Cancer affects the lives of over 4,000 children and young people every year. Today, we celebrate all women who support our mission to create a brighter future for children and young people with cancer 💛 A huge thank you to the healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, researchers and all the women whose tireless dedication is improving treatment and care for young cancer patients. Learn what it's like to be a woman in scientific research from Professor Chris Halsey: https://bit.ly/3QQyF34 Share a message of support below. Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #InternationalWomensDay #CCLG #CYPCancerAssociation

"Try to keep making happy memories. Even in the hardest times, there are still moments of happiness." James, pictured on the right, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumour, in 2024 when he was seven years old. Katie, James's mum, shared: "Up until a month before his diagnosis, James was a healthy and active child. Before he became unwell, he enjoyed playing football for a local team and practising kickboxing. As a passionate football fan, he has always supported Nottingham Forest, and we’re incredibly grateful to the club for their kindness and support. "James first became ill with frequent sickness and headaches. He was being sick several times a day — sometimes up to ten times. Over three weeks, we visited the GP, called 111, went to the out-of-hours medical centre multiple times and visited A&E. "At first, doctors told us it was migraines, then later suspected reflux. I didn’t know the signs of brain tumours, but I knew something was wrong. I kept pushing for answers until the paediatric team at the hospital finally saw us. "At the hospital, James underwent an MRI scan, and that was when we found out he had a brain tumour. The cancer had spread to both his brain and spine. The doctors suspected metastatic medulloblastoma but couldn’t provide a formal diagnosis until they completed further testing about a month later. Hearing this news turned our world upside down. "In the weeks following his diagnosis, James underwent several operations. After his first surgery, James couldn’t walk or move his legs much. He started chemotherapy shortly after his fourth surgery, and two weeks later, he began radiotherapy. "About three to four weeks after completing radiotherapy, James began to improve. For the first time in months, we were finally able to go home as a family." Read James's full story and order or download our free information booklet: https://bit.ly/3DpTMWV Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #BrainTumourAwarenessMonth #CCLG #CYPCancerAssociation

We have big news! 📣 We're thrilled to announce a significant step forward in our mission to create a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) and Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer (TYAC) have merged their memberships to form a new professional association. Introducing CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association. As part of this exciting new chapter, we've launched a new website and brand identity that reflects our commitment to funding and leading pioneering research, providing trusted information and guidance for children and young people with cancer and their families, and bringing together professionals to improve treatment, care, and outcomes. Ashley | Samuel | Georgina | Claire | Naomi | Phil | Amy | Sharon | Ellie | Tina | Rob | Jeanette | Hannah | Lizzie | Harman | Becky | | Vicki | Juliet | Jo-Fen #CCLG #CYPCancer #CYPCancerAssociation #CYPCancerResearch

Over the past six decades, researchers have achieved incredible progress – boosting survival rates so that more children with cancer survive than ever before! 🎗️ But we're not done yet - we want all children to have safe and effective treatments so that they can not only survive but also thrive. So, what have we done so far, and what does the future hold? Dive into the world of progress through survivorship, holistic care and ground-breaking treatments in our Research Roundup blog: https://bit.ly/49bI6RR #CCLG #ChildhoodCancer #ChildhoodCancerResearch