Children's Cancer Institute

Chloe was a happy 9yr old who loved gymnastics and school. But when Chloe didn't seem to be getting better from a cold, and spiked a temperature, Chloe’s dad Luke, took her to the GP. ‘Luke rang me to say he'd been told to take her to hospital for some blood tests to see what was going on,’ recalls mum Melissa. ‘A few hours later, he called again. I could hear him sobbing on the phone. I said, “It’s cancer, isn’t it?” He said, “Yes, she’s got leukaemia.” My knees just gave way.’ When Melissa got to the hospital, she found herself in a whole new world. ‘I was talking to other parents and someone asked me, “What does your daughter have?” ‘I said, “Acute myeloid leukaemia.” They asked, “Is that the good one or the bad one?” And I’m thinking, what the **** is a good cancer? No cancer is a good cancer. I later found out we had the bad one.’ Then Chloe’s doctor dropped the bombshell that Chloe had a high-risk cancer, and would need a bone marrow transplant. So Melissa stepped in to give Chloe her own stem cells. Thankfully, the procedure went better than expected. Chloe made it home, and Melissa says life felt good. Soon after Chloe’s 1yr anniversary, Luke took her in for a checkup. 'When he got home, I could hear him slam the keys in the drawer. He looked at me and I just knew.’ Chloe's cancer was back. The next week, they were back in hospital for more treatment, with more chemo and a second transplant, this time with Luke as her donor. ‘It was different this time,’ Melissa says. ‘It was much harsher, with radiation. She couldn't eat or drink for a month and struggled with the pain.’ Chloe returned home in March 2024. Today, she's is no longer on treatment and is doing well. Melissa says ‘We need to do better, not just for the kids, but for the families. We need more money to get better treatments, better outcomes, and better quality of life. Every dollar counts.’ This #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth, please help us find better treatment options, and ultimately a CURE for all children with cancer. Donate today at https://lnkd.in/g4-Hpz8h A life should be long. #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

The story of a child's life shouldn't include cancer. While we all wish we could click our fingers and rid the world of childhood cancer, sometimes it's hard to know how we can truly make a difference. But did you know that there's a way that YOU can leave a legacy of hope for families impacted by a childhood cancer diagnosis? A legacy that could last for generations to come? Well you can! This week is "Include a Charity Week" where we encourage you to leave a Gift in Your Will for Children's Cancer Institute. Our researchers are working hard every day to change the future of childhood cancer in this country. To create a future where cancer doesn't steal the lives of 3 precious Australian children each week. A future where treatments are less toxic and don't leave children with side-effects that will stay with them for life. We don't just dream of that future. Our scientists are creating that future. And when you leave a Gift in Your Will, you will play an important part in that future becoming a reality. Follow the link below to find out how you can bequest a portion of your estate to help fund vital childhood cancer research. https://lnkd.in/grnjZYuA Pictured here is Charli, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at age 9, with her Grandmother Jean. #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #IncludeACharity #GiftinWill #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

Childhood cancer is not simply adult cancer in a child. Cancers in children are often different in their causes, the way they grow and spread, and how they respond to treatment. When a child is diagnosed with cancer there is usually no known cause. This makes it very hard for parents, who are left with unanswered questions about why their child has cancer, and if there was anything they could have done to prevent it. The lives of their entire family are thrown upside-down. Treatment can go on for years, can be very intensive and expensive, and puts an enormous strain on family life. Childhood cancer poses two major challenges. First: for every ten children diagnosed with cancer, tragically two don’t survive. And second: most children who survive cancer go on to suffer long-term (sometimes life-long) health issues as a result of their treatment. Many people are surprised to learn that almost all cancer treatments used in children today were actually developed for adults. Most of these treatments (such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy) target all rapidly growing cells (not just cancer cells), and this leads to harsh side-effects, especially in young, growing bodies. While the overall survival rate for childhood cancer is now over 80%, for some types of cancer the rate is much lower. In fact, there are some childhood cancers for which there are no treatments and which are uniformly fatal. The need for more effective and safer treatments for children is urgent This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, please consider donating to help fund the incredible research that's underway right now at Children's Cancer Institute and help us to find better treatment options, and ultimately a CURE for all children with cancer. A life should be long. Follow the link to donate today! https://lnkd.in/g4-Hpz8h #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

Chubby cheeks, big blue eyes and a beautiful smile − that’s how Lola’s mum Naomi remembers her little girl. Lola had been sick on and off for a while, but then Naomi noticed that Lola wasn't using her left hand much and her smile had become slightly crooked. Lola was taken for a CT scan. Watching the radiographer look at the images, Naomi had a feeling that something was seriously wrong. “The doctors walked in with a grim look on their faces,” recalls Lola's dad Aaron. “The neurosurgeon told us ‘There’s a tumour in there. It’s big and it’s deep. Those words will never escape us.’” Lola had emergency surgery to remove the tumour. Results confirmed she had a rare brain cancer known as ETMR – an aggressive cancer with a high chance of regrowth. She would need high-dose chemo. It was going to be nasty, but without it, there was zero chance of survival. Lola went through six rounds of chemo, plus a second operation to remove residual cancer in her brain. She also endured a general anaesthetic and radiotherapy - five days a week for five solid weeks. On Christmas Eve, Lola had her final treatment and left hospital. The family spent special together time over Christmas, and Lola was the best she’d been in a long time. Lola had a follow-up MRI on 2nd Feb, and the oncologist said he didn’t like what he was seeing. “That was really gut-wrenching,” says Aaron. “That’s when we knew in our heart of hearts that was it.” Lola’s condition deteriorated quickly, and tragically, on 26 March, she passed away peacefully at home. Since then, Naomi and Aaron have been doing everything they can to keep their precious daughter's memory alive. Each year, they gather a huge team of runners to be a part of "Lola's Joy Squad" in the City to Surf, and have been inspired by the progress being made in childhood cancer research at Children's Cancer Institute. “We want to cure cancer.” Naomi says. “We can’t save Lola, but we just want to be able to help in some way, in her memory.” If you believe that lives like Lola’s should be long and full of possibilities, please donate and help us cure every child of cancer. https://lnkd.in/g4-Hpz8h #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

Novalie was just 5yrs old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Her treatment was really long, and really tough, especially because she relapsed, not just once, but twice. She's been through years of treatment including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and more recently, CAR-T Cell Therapy where her T-cells were genetically engineered in a lab in America before being put back in her body. They're still floating all around Novalie's body, finding and killing her leukaemia. After going through so much herself, Novalie wanted to come behind the scenes here at Children's Cancer Institute to find out what our researchers are doing to help make sure other kids don't have to go what she's been through. If you believe that a life should be long, join us this September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to not only acknowledge the enormous impact childhood cancer has within the global and local community, but to support the research that will one day cure every child of cancer. A Life Should Be Long. Donate today at https://lnkd.in/g4-Hpz8h #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

September is International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge the extraordinary impact that cancer has on children, their families and the community. At Children's Cancer Institute we believe a life should be long. That every child should have the chance to grow up, grow old, plan exciting futures and live a life that is full of possibilities. But sadly, cancer cuts life short for hundreds of children every year, before they’ve even had a chance to make their mark. For 40 years, we have been conducting research into the causes, prevention and cure of childhood cancer so that more kids with cancer not only survive, but go on to live long, healthy lives. Since our lab doors opened in 1984, we have made extraordinary process. In the 1960s, cancer was practically a death sentence in children. Today, more than 8 out of 10 children will survive their cancer, but 70% of those survivors will suffer long-term side effects as a result of their treatment. That's why our researchers won't stop until every child can live a long, healthy and happy life. Originally founded by two families of children with cancer - community support, dedicated families and loyal supporters who share a belief that no child should die of cancer has always been at the centre of everything we do. So if you believe that a life should be long, join us this September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to not only acknowledge the enormous impact childhood cancer has within the global and local community, but to support the research that will one day cure every child of cancer. A Life Should Be Long. Donate today at https://lnkd.in/g4-Hpz8h #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

💎 The Silent Auction for our Diamond Ball is now OPEN! 🌟 Discover luxurious items, place your bids, and support the work of Children's Cancer Institute. Don’t miss out on unique treasures — with everything from a signed Taylor Swift Guitar, getaways, art, jewellery, experiences and so much more. Every bid makes a difference and helps our researchers in their mission to find a cure for every child with cancer! Check out the amazing auction items on offer and start bidding now by scanning the QR code in the image or visit https://lnkd.in/gFQ-7f2W to register. The auction will remain open until 10:45pm on the night of Diamond Ball (Saturday 14 September), so now's the time to secure your winning bid. Good luck! #DiamondBall2024 #SilentAuction #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

Long-time supporters Mark and Wayne Bayfield are taking on an incredible journey for Children's Cancer Institute. Childhood cancer is a cause that has been close to their hearts for over 23 years and they have already raised a staggering $4.5 million for the Institute and counting! This September, they’ll be putting their bodies on the line for this special cause — walking an epic 350km from "Lighthouse to Lighthouse." 🌊🏃♂️🏃♀️ They'll start at Barrenjoey Lighthouse on Sydney's Northern Beaches on the 8th September and finish at Flagstaff Lighthouse in Wollongong on the 22nd September. Their 15 day trek is all to shine a light on childhood cancer and raise vital funds for research. The lighthouse to lighthouse logo has been designed by Jacob, a 7 year old Leukaemia warrior and in their words 'we wear this logo with pride and determination to reach our goal'. Their training is well under way and they have already raised an epic $43,000 towards their incredible $100,000 goal! If you'd like to join at any point on their 350Km adventure, or donate to help them reach their goal, please visit their fundraising page to find out more. https://lnkd.in/g9QwMxWM #bayfieldbrothers #bayfieldhotels #lighthousetolighthouse #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

This year marks 40 years since the labs at Children's Cancer Institute first opened. Incredibly, the first three scientists to join the Institute in 1984, are all still with us in 2024! Today, we're shining a spotlight on these amazing individuals who have dedicated their careers to helping children with cancer. Professor Michelle Haber AM (left) is one of Australia’s leading translational researchers and has become the face of Australian childhood cancer research internationally. She is world-renowned for her research into neuroblastoma and leukaemia, which has led not only to key advances in our understanding of these diseases, but also to new clinical approaches that have improved survival rates. Professor Murray Norris AM (centre) has focused his research on utilising new molecular technologies to improve the diagnosis, risk classification and treatment of childhood cancer. He has been instrumental in enabling the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) for the early prediction of relapse in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). This work led to an effective doubling in survival rates in children with high-risk ALL. Murray recently published a paper on an exciting breakthrough in neuroblastoma research. Professor Maria Kavallaris (right) is best known for identifying how tumour cells become resistant to commonly used chemotherapy drugs and how drug resistance can be reversed, and for identifying ways to use nanotechnology to package and deliver therapy to cancer cells. As a cancer survivor, Maria has first-hand experience of the harsh side effects of chemotherapy and is determined to develop treatments for children that are less toxic as well as more effective. Michelle, Murray and Maria's list of accomplishments, awards and recognition is far too long to do justice to in a short caption, but you can read their full bio's via the link below. While they have seen many changes during their time at Children's Cancer Institute, their vision remains the same, to save the lives of all children with cancer and improve their long-term health, through research. https://lnkd.in/gmNYD9mY #40YearsOfResearchAtCCI #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen

Point to Pinnacle - the World's Toughest Road Half Marathon - will be taking place in Hobart on the 17th November and registrations are now open. This is your chance to experience this picturesque event, while also helping our researchers find a cure for childhood cancer. Join our Children's Cancer Institute Green Team this year and you can... 🏃 Take on a 10K or Half Marathon 🔬 Raise funds for critical medical research 💚 Help save the lives of children with cancer Every Green Team member that raises $100 will receive our exclusive Children's Cancer Institute singlet for FREE! Register today at: https://lnkd.in/gEHTaK4F #ALifeShouldBeLong #CuringChildhoodCancer #ItsNotIfItsWhen