On International Childhood Cancer Day 2024, we highlight the vital role of parents, as well as family doctors and paediatricians, in the early detection of childhood cancers. No one is more ready to invest in their children’s well-being than parents. By getting to know the early signs and symptoms of certain cancers and looking out for them, you could save your child’s life.
Globally, more than 1000 children are diagnosed with cancer every day. Recent medical advances make for very high chances of survival in high-income countries, where more than 80% of children diagnosed with cancer will survive. Yet only about 20% of children diagnosed with cancer will survive in some low- and middle-income countries.
CureAll framework: WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer
The latest estimates show that in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, more than 70% of all children with a cancer diagnosis died in 2022 (1). Unlike cancer in adulthood, the underlying factors that contribute to childhood cancer are poorly understood, and only a small fraction of childhood cancers can be prevented. This means that the recovery of these children largely depends on the capacity of health systems to ensure timely diagnosis, early referral and appropriate treatment. Achieving this is especially challenging in the many countries of the Region that contend with humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters and political instability.
In 2018, WHO launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC). Its main goal is to reduce the survival gap by 2030, by making sure that at least 60% of children with cancer worldwide will survive their diagnosis. GICC is a cooperative effort involving WHO on a global, regional and country-specific scale, in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Source: International Childhood Cancer Day 2024: reducing the survival gap