CANCER….. THE FACTS & FIGURES

• Every day 10 children and young people in the UK are told they have cancer
• Every year in the UK around 3,600 children and young people under 25 are diagnosed with cancer. Around 2,000 are aged 16 to 24-years-old
• Although eight in 10 will survive cancer, it is still the leading cause of death from a single disease among children and young people in the UK
• It is estimated there are 10,000 survivors of childhood cancer aged 24 and under living in the UK. Around 30% of survivors have a chronic health condition and a further 30% have another ongoing health-related problem
• The type of cancer and its treatment varies for each child or young person, but treatment normally starts straightaway and can last up to three years
• CLIC Sargent research has found that children and young people with cancer travel an average of 60 miles, up to five times a week, for hospital treatment (A long way from home, 2010, research focused on 0 to 18- year-olds)
• Two in three parents surveyed by CLIC Sargent said they had built up debt to make ends meet as a result of their child’s cancer. More than one in four had borrowed over £2,000. Two in three parents surveyed experienced a loss of earnings and three in five parents said they had to reduce the number of hours they worked (Counting the costs of cancer, 2011)
• CLIC Sargent research shows that two-thirds of 16 to 18-year-olds fall behind with their education as a result of cancer and its treatment (More than my illness, 2010)
• Half of young people surveyed by CLIC Sargent said they had to borrow money as a result of their cancer with more than 17% borrowing over £1,000 and 6% borrowing over £2,000 (Counting the costs of cancer, 2011)

 Information supplied by CLIC Sargent