Around 2 in every 1,000 children worldwide develop cancer by age 15, mostly leukaemia and various types of lymphoma. The effects on them and their families can be devastating – physically, emotionally and financially. In the developed world, around one in five children diagnosed with cancer will die, and mortality in developing countries is higher still.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and so we’d like to introduce you to six great charities on GivenGain working with people affected by childhood cancer. By supporting them, you’ll also be helping to support families around the world during their darkest hours.

The Little Princess Trust – United Kingdom

Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other cancer treatments – and for kids, it can be one of the most difficult. Since 2006, The Little Princess Trust has provided child cancer patients with wigs made from real human hair, at no cost.

Since 2016, thanks to the amazing support they have received, the charity has also been able to fund research into better childhood cancer treatments. So far they have given out more than £5 million in grants.

Charity supporters don’t only donate money, though – they can also donate their hair! Watch their video here to see how it works.

CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation – South Africa

In developed countries, around four in five children diagnosed with cancer will survive for at least five years. In South Africa, the figure is closer to half of that.

For almost 40 years, CHOC has worked to deliver better outcomes for child cancer patients in South Africa. Their holistic approach includes promoting early detection, providing free accommodation and transport to treatment locations, and offering emotional support to families.

CHOC is also a fundraising success story. The charity is funded by an army of individual and corporate supporters, and their dedicated team of fundraisers, the CHOC Cows, can be spotted (pun intended) at charity events across the country!

Zoé4Life – Switzerland

Each year, an average of 300 children in Switzerland are diagnosed with cancer – and one dies each week. While the country has some of the world’s best cancer treatment services, the process is still challenging for many families.

Zoé4Life was set up in 2013 to support childhood cancer patients and their families. The charity has four goals: supporting projects and programmes for children with cancer, helping affected families with financial support, funding research into new cancer treatments and raising awareness.

“It’s great if we could talk about childhood cancer all year round, obviously, but we do a lot of awareness-raising in September,” says charity president Nicole Scoobie. “It’s not always about raising funds. It is also about just having the subject talked about and being known."

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital – USA

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, based in Memphis, Tennessee, is one of the world’s leading childhood cancer research and treatment centres. Its mission is to bring about a world where no child dies of cancer.

To work towards that goal, the hospital aims to treat the most difficult childhood cancer cases, regardless of the patient’s race, religion or ability to pay. It is also home to several cutting-edge research programmes that aim to improve cancer treatment and improve quality of life for survivors.

The Gavin Glynn Foundation – Ireland

After Gavin Glynn passed away in 2014, aged just four years old, his parents decided to honour his memory by helping other families affected by childhood cancer.

The Gavin Glynn Foundation raises money to help families access specialised cancer treatment in Ireland or abroad. Thanks to the generosity of individual donors and fundraisers, they have so far helped 98 families to travel overseas for medical care.

You can make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer with a donation today or by starting a fundraising project on GivenGain. Several of the charities profiled above are fundraising through upcoming events on GivenGain, including the Detroit Free Press/TCF Bank Marathon and the Vhi Virtual Women’s Mini Marathon. You don’t need a special event to raise funds, though: check out our list of indoor fundraising ideas for inspiration, or learn how to livestream for good!

Do you have a favourite charity fighting against cancer that isn’t on GivenGain yet? Please ask them to get in touch with us at fundraising@givengain.com. Online fundraising gives charities a way to continue raising money even when events are cancelled – and to continue delivering vital services to those most in need.