More than 8 in 10 children diagnosed with cancer in the UK survive for five years or more, but charities warn that survival alone is not enough. Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) and Anthony Nolan are joining forces to highlight the long-term physical, psychological, and social challenges faced by childhood cancer survivors.
Survival Rates Rise, but Long-Term Risks Remain
While treatments like CAR T-cell therapy have improved survival rates for previously incurable cancers, two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors are at risk of developing serious disabling or life-threatening conditions. These include diabetes, heart conditions, cognitive impairment, and lasting impacts on growth and fertility, alongside intense psychological effects that can persist throughout life.
According to Aoife Regan, GOSH Impact and Charitable Programmes Director, and Rachel Nolan, Anthony Nolan Patient Services Head and Lead Nurse, “We can’t let ourselves be blinded by success… we want children and young people to not just survive but thrive.”
Research into Survivorship Severely Lacking
The National Cancer Plan for England acknowledges the lasting effects of cancer in young people, yet research into childhood survivorship remains limited. The charities argue that children’s research must be a priority, not a footnote. With over 100 advanced therapy clinical trials in the UK this year, understanding long-term care needs is critical.
“We can’t take for granted that a ‘cure’ automatically means a full and happy life,” the authors write. “Research into survivorship is extremely lacking, even when it comes to children who have so much life ahead of them.”
Charities Partner to Address the Gap
GOSH Charity and Anthony Nolan will conduct in-depth interviews with young people and their carers to identify needs in wraparound supportive care, including psychological support, nutritional support, education, fertility preservation, and rehabilitation services. The findings will be used to provide evidence-backed recommendations for the NHS.
“Our mutual goal is simple,” the charities state. “We want to help more children and young people survive cancers and rare conditions, but to help them live well after.”
As medical breakthroughs advance, the charities stress that the right support must keep pace. “Children and young people should not settle for survival alone.”
