Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – Cancer Types – Retinoblastoma

This blog post is dedicated to Katy and her son Owen. Katy is a very passionate campaigner after Owen was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma and she has really made some excellent progress when it comes to raising awareness of this cancer type.

On average, the UK sees around forty cases of retinoblastoma in a year. Most of these cases are found in children under five years of age but it can affect children of any age.

Retinoblastoma is a tumour that occurs in the light sensitive lining of the eye called the retina. There are two types of retinoblastoma:

*A non heritable form where the cancer is unilateral (only affects one eye). The cause of this type is still unknown as yet.

*A heritable form where the cancer is bilateral (affecting both eyes). In some cases it can only affect one eye as well though. This type account for two in every five cases of retinoblastoma and is caused by a gene abnormality which has allowed the tumour to develop. This can be inherited form a parent or occur at an early stage of development whilst the child is still in the womb. This gene is known as Rb and people with this have an increased risk of developing another cancer type later in life. Genetic counselling is available for people who have retinoblastoma in their family. Not all children born to parents with this gene will be affected but should be checked for it anyway.

Some children with retinoblastoma will not have any symptoms and it is usually picked up by screening of children with family history of the condition. However, a symptom of retinoblastoma is a white pupil which does not reflect light. This can be detected in photographs using flash as the affected eye will look white in the photo. Some children with retinoblastoma have a squint whilst larger tumours can cause painful red eye.

Tests to diagnose retinoblastoma can be done under anesthetic and an ophthalmologist will examine the eye. Unlike most cancers, retinoblastoma can be diagnosed on sight, by their appearance. A biopsy is normally unnecessary. Examinations under anesthetic will be used to monitor treatment progress. Ultrasound scans, MRI, lumbar puncture and blood tests may be used to help diagnose the condition and stage the tumour.

There are two stages commonly used for retinoblastoma:

*intraocular retinoblastoma – cancer is in one or both eyes but has not begun to spread to other parts of the eye or surrounding tissue.

*extraocular retinoblastoma – the cancer has spread beyond the eye to surrounding tissue or to other parts of the body.

Treatment for retinoblastoma will depend on the size, position and stage of the cancer. Treatment is used to primarily remove the cancer but to also try and preserve sight in the affected eye, although some children sadly do lose some of their sight.

Smaller tumours can usually be treated with cryotherapy, laser therapy, plaque or thermotherapy.

Larger tumours are usually treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or surgery. If the tumour is really large and vision has been lost then an operation called enucleation may be used to remove the eye and replace it with a prosthesis.

Retinoblastoma is a very horrible form of cancer that targets children. I’m very glad to know there are people like Katy fighting very hard to provide ways to prevent, treat and cure this horrific type of cancer.

My heart goes out to anyone watching their child suffer from retinoblastoma, what brave children they are.

xxxx

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – Cancer Types: Osteosarcoma

This is a very emotional blog post for me as osteosarcoma was the type of cancer that killed Georgie. He was fifteen when his jaw swelled up. At first he had a numb lip and weird tingling sensation. It took a while to get to the bottom of what was wrong but we eventually found out it was a tumour in the right mandible. After years of treatment and numerous surgeries, Georgie passed away just months before his eighteenth birthday.

On average thirty children per year in the UK develop osteosarcoma. This kind of cancer is more common in teenagers and is usually found in boys. It is rare to see it in a child under the age of five.

Osteosarcoma starts in the bone, usually at the end where new bone tissue forms as you grow. Any bone in the body can be affected, with Georgie it was the jaw, but it is commonly found in the arms and legs. The knee joint is a particularly common site for osteosarcoma.

The cause of osteosarcoma is unknown at the moment but there are some risk factors to consider: people with Li Fraumeni Syndrome are at more at risk of developing osteosarcoma, as are children who have hereditary retinoblastoma. If a child has had radiotherapy or chemotherapy in the past then they also have an increased risk.

INJURIES THAT DAMAGE BONES DO NOT CAUSE OSTEOSARCOMA. THEY CAN, HOWEVER, DRAW ATTENTION TO ANY TUMOURS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.

Pain in the bone is the most common symptom of osteosarcoma. This may be on and off for a while at first and then become more severe and constant over time. Swelling may also occur. The bone can weaken and break, which is how many osteosarcoma cases are discovered. Most symptoms can be caused by something else so it is hard to know when to go to the doctor but if your child has persistent pain and swelling in the bone – I would recommend taking them for a check up.

To diagnose osteosarcoma, the doctor will do a series of tests including x-rays. If a bone tumour is suspected then a specialist will be needed to perform further tests such as biopsies. A physical examination of the affected area and a blood test may also be required. Bone scans, MRI’s and CT’s may also be required.

Treatment for osteosarcoma would depend on the size, position, grading and stage of the tumour. Surgery is usually a very important part of the treatment as is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is usually used to destroy the cancer cells and shrink the main tumour before surgery is performed. It is then used again when surgery has been performed to blast away anything microscopic that may have been left behind. This is to try and reduce the chance of the cancer returning.

Radiotherapy may also be considered as it can destroy cancer cells with high energy rays but do little damage to the normal surrounding cells.

Surgery would depend on the size and position of the tumour. The whole limb may need to be amputated, especially if the cancer has spread to the surrounding nerves and blood vessel. A prosthetic limb will be fitted. Obviously this is a major thing and I don’t want to appear to not take this seriously. Your child’s doctor should discuss this in a great amount of detail with you and both you and your child should receive lots of support if amputation is the only option.

In other cases, limb sparing surgery can be used to preserve the limb. This may involve replacing the limb with a bone graft using part of another bone in the body or it may involve replacing the bone with prosthesis. Georgie has his jaw replaced with another bone part TWICE.

Even with amputation, it should be possible for your child to adjust and still be able to participate in “normal” activities and sports are still a possibility. Long term effects should be discussed with you before surgery.

Osteosarcoma can be a very aggressive type of cancer, and unfortunately, survival rates are not very good. I have a particular hatred for this cancer type and I am hopeful clinical trials and research will discover new ways of treating, curing and preventing osteosarcoma. Please do visit my uncle’s site www.anticancer.org.uk for more information as he is a fountain of knowledge on the subject, and as a parent of a child, who had cancer, he is well informed and able to explain things much better then I ever could.

My heart it with you if you or someone you love is battling osteosarcoma or if you have lost someone to it like I have.

As always, for my wonderful warrior Georgie

xxx

A Poem For Those Facing Christmas Without Loved Ones

I found this poem by Linda Winchell and I think it pretty much sums up what I would like to say to those I have lost and won't be seeing this Christmas. Sending lots of love to anyone facing Christmas without a loved one.

For Georgie, Auntie Eleni, Dada Sotiris, Nouna Gina, Yiayia Alexandra and Buppou Peter. I miss them all more and more every day xxx

I can't send you roses

I've tried that once before.

I can't see your smilling face

that use to greet me at the door.

I can't call you on the phone

to wish you, Merry Christmas, and, Happy New Years too

I can't even mail you a card

I have, tried that too. 

I can't hear the sound of your sweet voice 

Or the children's laughter, hear.

While I can't understand it all

You seem to get, neglected every year.

But I can say that, 'I love you.'

For you are still, to me so dear.

But I wanted to wish you Merry Christmas

and wish that you were, still here.

Dear one, I can't seem to understand why

this cross that I must bear.

And I pray that God has blessed you

'Merry Christmas, ' and may God keep you in His loving care

xxx

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: The Long Term Effects of Childhood Cancer

So the good news is, more and more children are surviving childhood cancer. Survival rates beyond five years after diagnosis are improving all the time, and many more children will survive cancer then ever before.

Doctors try to make sure children with cancer don’t have long term problems following cancer treatment. However, some things can be affected and I’m going to summarise some of those possible effects in today’s blog post.

Possible Effects on Education and Intellectual Development.

Before I start, I would like to reassure people that Georgie suffered cancer three times and sat his GCSE’s whilst having intense treatment yet he still managed to get MUCH better GCSE’s results then I did (and mine were pretty good!).

The majority of children with cancer should be able to carry on with a normal education and should develop intellectually as normal.

Some children, usually those with brain cancer, can develop learning difficulties and may require special help at school but this would depend on their age and treatment type.

Your child’s doctor will be able to advise you on any special educational requirements and your child’s school should be able to help you find a way to carry on with your child’s education. I know Georgie’s school were incredibly understanding and helped him out in lots of different ways.

Possible Effects on Growth and Development.

The pituitary gland is found at the base of the brain and produces hormones which regulate growth and development throughout childhood. Radiotherapy to the brain may affect this and if a child doesn’t produce enough of these hormones their growth will be affected. A man made hormone may be needed to help the child grow.

Radiotherapy can have an effect on growth and development, for example, if a child has radiotherapy on their leg, it may be shorter in length then the other.

It is important that your child’s growth and development is monitored regularly and any signs of their growth and development being affected will need to be investigated. Replacement growth hormone may be necessary.

Possible Effects on Heart and Lungs.

Certain types of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy drugs and radiotherapy, can affect the heart and lungs. Regular echocardiogram should be used to monitor the child’s heart and lung function tests may also be necessary. Sometimes the effects are not seen until long after the treatment has finished so regular monitoring is needed for a while after treatment.

Possible Effects on Kidneys.

Some chemotherapy drugs can lead to kidney problems but if your child has those particular drugs then their doctor will arrange tests to monitor and check their kidneys every so often. Any kidney problems are usually not severe and if your child hasn’t had any problems during treatment then it is unlikely they will develop any problems related to their treatment later in life.

Possible Effects on Puberty and Fertility.

I've mentioned cancer and fertility before. I work in a fertility clinic in Harley Street and I have learnt lots about the subject.

I can’t imagine that worrying about your child’s future fertility is going to be high up on your list of worries should they be diagnosed with cancer. It is important to try and find out if their fertility will be affected as it will need to be dealt with at a later date and could have an impact on them emotionally when they grow up. It can be very very distressing to consider your child’s fertility, especially at such a difficult time but being in the know about their treatment and its affects will help in the long run.

Your child will be checked for sighs of puberty at the time of diagnosis. If puberty is delayed or has not happened then hormone replacement will be needed so that puberty can occur when it’s time.

If you have any more questions regarding cancer and fertility please do read my blog post on the subject. There is a box on the side of the page with details of my workplace if you wish to consult a fertility specialist.

http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/cancer-and-fertility.html

Possible Second Cancer.

A very small number of children can be cured of cancer but then develop another type of cancer later on in life. It is important to know that this can be caused by a inherited gene mutation, whilst it is also sometimes caused by the cancer treatments themselves. Your child’s doctor can discuss this possibility with you but I urge you to remain vigilant, even when your child is given the all clear. Demand the doctor’s attention and through testing if you think a second cancer is a possibility.

Please read my blog post on gene mutations, especially Li Fraumeni Syndrome, as this is what led to Georgie being diagnosed with two further cancers after being cured of his first. If you feel you are at risk of a genetic mutation then please look into genetic counseling or visit www.tp53.org.uk for more help, support and advice.

http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/gene-mutations-and-cancer.html

http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/blog-post-100-tp53-and-li-fraumeni.html

As always, my thoughts are with anyone watching their child go through cancer. My love is sent to all the children suffering from cancer. This blog post is dedicated to my beautiful Georgie.

xxx

Reviewing 2012: Part One – CRUK Volunteer Achievements

So 2012 is coming to a close and I thought I would do some blog posts to look back on the year.

Today’s post will focus on some of the achievements made by some of the 40,000 people who volunteered for Cancer Research UK this year:

Events and Volunteering

In 2012 over 11,000 volunteers supported 240 Race for Life across the country.  These events have raised over £50 million so far. 

Shine 2012 was supported by 480 volunteers in London and 384 volunteers in Manchester.   

This year a dedicated force of 794 volunteers supported our Cancer Research UK runners at third party events like the London Marathon and Great North Run.   

Fundraising and Volunteering

Volunteer fundraising groups have been busy again this year raising approximately £11 million through a myriad of different activities from Relay For Life to balls and last weekend, the famous Christmas Pudding Race in Covent Garden.     

On 26, 27 and 28 October 2012, we held a collection at 570 Tesco stores across the  country manned entirely by volunteers. This fundraising initiative was supported by 425 of our fantastic Groups and Committees, and a further 299 new volunteers who joined in to support the collection.  So far they’ve raised £210,261.26, and we’re still waiting for the final figures from 10 groups!  

 Ambassador Volunteers

The Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors have had a bumper year of success:

2012 saw of the introduction of covering up cigarette displays in larger retailers as a direct result of the “Out of Sight, Out of Mind Campaign”

The Answer is Plain campaign on the “Innovative Campaign of the Year” Award at the Public Affairs Award.

Over 100 Ambassadors took part in a hugely successful lobby of Parliament for The Answer is Plain campaign.

The Year of Radiotherapy campaign saw huge successes including David Cameron announcing a huge £15 million would be spent on Radiotherapy services.

Other Volunteers

Hundreds of volunteers have shared their stories for our brand campaign, Stand up to cancer, films for fundraising events, Little Stars campaign, Jubilee Beacon, Tesco charity of the year, national and regional press stories, ‘Give up clothes for good’, our Annual Review, Plain Packaging campaign, Francis Crick institute and all types of fundraising materials.

Many CRUK volunteers shared their stories to help promote the fantastic “Stand Up To Cancer” which has led to millions being raised for the charity so far

It’s been a hugely successful year for Cancer Research UK volunteers and I have had a great time taking part in some events and meeting some incredible people. Here’s hoping 2013 is even more successful!

If you are a CRUK Volunteer, please make sure you keep an eye out for #CRUKChatter on Twitter  - a great way to share ideas and meet other volunteers! Follow @CRUKWalton for more information!

xxx

A video of the CRUK Campaigns Ambassadors at Westminster

In June this year, the Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors desecended on Westminster to persuade the government to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes.

Here is a video to summarise the day.....see if you can spot me :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxkSIeH1glg

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - Diagnosis and Treatment

Another blog post focusing on childhood cancer today! This time I’m going to be breaking down the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer.

As my family is well aware, there is a wide range of syndromes that run in families which can lead to an increased risk of a child developing cancer. Li Fraumeni Syndrome is just one of them and it was this syndrome that led to my cousin being diagnosed with cancer three times in his short life. When Georgie was a baby and was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, my uncle asked his doctors if it was linked to his mother, who had died a few months before. The doctors told my uncle it was just a horrific coincidence and nothing to do with genetics. It wasn't until Georgie was fifteen and diagnosed with the cancer that killed him that we discovered he has Li Fraumeni Syndrome and it had probably been inherited from his mother. It took a while for Georgie to be diagnosed this time and we have to live with the fact that had we have known he had LFS, he may have been diagnosed a lot quicker and this could have saved his life. Unfortunately for us, we will never know.

Luckily, huge advances have been made in recent years and more and more people are having genetic testing and genetic counseling to see if they have any inherited factors that could increase their risk of developing cancer. For example genetic testing for families with a history of retinoblastoma has become standard procedure which is a huge step forward.

Please do read my blog post about gene mutations for more information on this.

As I have said above, huge and significant advances have been made in relation to childhood cancer, especially when it comes to treatment and mortality rates. This is mainly down to the introduction of standardized protocols in clinical trials as well as the centralization of care.

There are many organisations and groups who co ordinate trials into childhood cancer and look into various issues surrounding it. These include the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) which my friend and fellow ambassador Neil is part of. I’m going to ask him to do a guest blog post on this subject.

At the moment there are around thirty groups which have been set up to research specific tumour types and other disciplines surrounding childhood cancer.

There are twenty one specialist centres dedicated to looking after children with cancer in the UK and Ireland. These have been shown to significantly benefit these children by forming a close knit network. Each of these twenty one units is a centre of excellence and have multidisciplinary teams of specialists with experiences of treating the specific tumours seen in children. These centres are:

*Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital

*Royal Hospital for Sick Children Belfast

*Birmingham Children’s Hospital

*Royal Hospital for Sick Children Bristol

* Addenbrooke’s Hospital Cambridge

*Children’s Hospital for Wales Cardiff

*Royal Hospital for Sick Children Edinburgh

*Royal Hospital for Sick Children Glasgow

*St James’ University Hospital Leeds

*Leicester Royal Infirmary

*Alderhey Children’s Hospital Liverpool

*Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

*Great Ormond Street Hospital

*University College London Hospital

*Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle

*Queens Medical Centre Newcastle

*Queens Medical Centre Nottingham

*John Radcliffe Hospital

*Sheffield Children’s Hospital

*Southampton General Hospital

*Royal Marsden Hospital Sutton

*Our Ladies Hospital for Sick Children Dublin

Treating Childhood Cancer:

The typical treatment for the majority of childhood cancers is surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Here is a summary of treatment options of some of the cancers seen in children:

*Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia– Usually Chemotherapy combined with steroids. Donor stem cells or bone marrow can be considered for patients with resistant ALL or those that have relapsed. Radiotherapy is sometimes used as well.

*Hodgkins lymphoma – Sometimes surgery is used to remove the tumour if it is at stage one but the main treatment is usually chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

*Non-hodgkins lymphoma – There are many different types of NHL and treatment will depend on what type the child has. Normally treatment is radiotherapy, chemotherapy and biological therapy although stem cell and bone marrow transplants can also be used.

*Brain and CNS tumours – If surgery is feasible then this is usually the preferred treatment option but chemotherapy can also be used. If the child is under three years of age then radiotherapy should be the last resort as it can damage the child’s still immature brain.

*Neuroblastoma – if the tumour is localized the surgery is usually the first option. Chemotherapy before and/or after surgery is also an option as is a stem cell transplant.

*Retinoblastoma – Smaller tumours are treated with laser treatment to the eye. Cryotherapy and thermotherapy are also options for smaller tumours. Larger tumours are usually treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery to remove the eye. A combination of treatments is sometimes used.

*Nephroblastoma – Surgery to remove part or the entire kidney is an option as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy before and/or after surgery

*Osteosarcoma – The main treatment option is surgery to remove the tumour and surrounding tissue. Sometimes amputation is necessary. Chemotherapy is usually used before and after surgery. Radiotherapy can also be used.

Osteosarcoma is the cancer that killed Georgie. He had it in his jaw. He had various treatments throughout his illness. He had his jaw removed and replaced twice but unfortunately microscopic cells were left behind and the tumour simply grew back. He also had chemotherapy and photo dynamic therapy amongst many other treatments.

*Rhabdomysarcoma – surgery is the main treatment option and chemotherapy or radiotherapy is usually used before and/or after surgery

Georgie was diagnosed embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in the left temporalis muscle on his second birthday. He had a small dent in the side of his head after it was removed. He had chemotherapy through his “wiggly” (hickman line) and several other treatments and he managed to beat this cancer, although he was given a very low chance of surviving the disease.

New treatments such as immunology are being developed all the time and ways of treating childhood cancer is evolving.

Childhood cancer survival rates are improving all the time, and more children then ever are surviving. There is still a hell of a long way to go and unfortunately many children are still dying, my beautiful cousin included. It is important to know that there are many people out there dedicated to trying to find ways of preventing, treating and curing childhood cancer. I am very much looking forward to the day when childhood cancer becomes a very very rare occurrence.

If you have a child that is suffering from cancer, or you are a child with cancer, my heart is with you and I wish you nothing but the best.

For Georgie – I miss you more and more every single day xxxx

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Cancer Types – Leukaemia

Happy Thursday one and all!

December is flying past just as quickly as the rest of 2012 has! I wanted to do a few blog posts focusing on childhood cancers as December is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the UK. Today I am going to focus on the key facts about Leukaemia – one of the most common types of childhood cancer.

What is Leukaemia?

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells and bone marrow. There are four main types:

*Acute myeloid (AML)

*Acute lymphoblastic (ALL)

*Chronic myeloid (CML)

*Chronic lymphocytic (CLL)

AML and ALL account for around a third of all UK cases of leukaemia. One in every six cases of leukaemia in the UK are either CML and CLL. A third of all childhood cancer cases in the UK are leukaemia. Overal Leukaemia is the tenth most common cancer type in the UK, with 2% of cancers being this type. Around twenty three people are diagnosed with leukaemia every day. Although leukaemia is the most common cancer type in children, around 9/10 cases are found in adults.

Leukaemia Survival and Mortality Rates:

Survival rates for leukaemia are fairly good with around 40% of people surviving beyond five years after their diagnosis. Survival rates have tripled in the last four decades and people diagnosed with this cancer type are four times as likely to survive longer then ten years after diagnosis then they were in the 1970’s. More then eight out of ten children diagnosed with leukaemia go on to survive longer then five years after diagnosis whereas in the 1970’s it was less then one in ten children.

Leukaemia is the ninth most common cause of death from cancer in the UK. Around twelve people in the UK with leukaemia die everyday with around four out of five of those deaths are people over the age of sixty.  

Causes of Leukaemia

*Around 9% of leukaemia cases are linked to exposure to radiation

*Smoking is the cause of around 6% of leukaemia cases in the UK and smoking increases your risk of myeloid leukaemia

*Working in the rubber protection industry and being exposed to the chemicals benzene and formaldehyde increase your risk of developing leukarmia

*Some types of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to treat cancer can then increase your risk of developing leukaemia.

*Children with Down ’s syndrome have a greater risk of developing leukaemia.

These are just a few of the key facts about this type of cancer. I will be following up with some more information about the various types of leukaemia. In the meantime, please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org for more information.

xxx

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

December = Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the UK. I don’t think I need to mention why this cause is so close to my heart but I do feel it is important to get the facts and figures out there for people to see. So here are some facts about childhood cancer for you:

The cancers seen in children are usually very different to those seen in adults and “childhood” refers to any child aged between birth and fourteen years old.

There are twelve main types of childhood cancer:

*Leukaemia

*Soft Tissue Sarcomas

*Kidney Tumours

*Brain and Central Nervous System (CNS)

*Bone Tumours (Like the one Georgie had)

*Carcinomas and Melanomas

*Retinoblastomas

*Gonadal and Germ Cell Tumours

*Liver Tumours

*Sympathetic Nervous System Tumours

*Other and Unspecified Tumours

Childhood cancer is quite rare and makes up 5% of all cancers. Around 1,600 children in the UK are diagnosed with cancer every year, which roughly works out at thirty one children per week. Around one in every five hundred children in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer.

The UK’s childhood cancer rates are amongst the lowest in Europe, with Northen Europe having the highest incidence rate.

Leukeamia is the most common childhood cancer. Two thirds of all childhood cancers are  leukeamia, brain and CNS tumours and lymphomas.

Surviving Childhood Cancer:

More children then ever are surviving cancer. The survival rate has doubled since the 1960’s and at least 5,600 MORE children now survive for more then five years after diagnosis.

Around 33,000 people in the UK have survived a type of childhood cancer and almost three quarters of children with cancer can now be cured of the disease.

For every ten childhood cancer sufferers – eight will now survive for more then five years after their diagnosis:

*Nearly all children diagnosed with retinoblastoma are cured.

*Survival rates for Hepatoblastoma have doubled since the 1960’s.

*Around six out of ten children diagnosed with neuroblastoma are cured.

*Eight out of ten children with kidney cancer survive the disease.

*Rhabdomyosarcoma survival rates have doubled since the 1970’s.

Childhood cancer deaths:

Cancer is the UK’s leading cause of death (from disease) in children aged up to fourteen. A fifth of all childhood deaths are down to cancer.

Brain and CNS tumours are the most common fatal type of childhood cancer.

Around two hundred and fifty children die from cancer every year in the UK.

Childhood cancer death rates have halved since the 1960’s.

Causes of Childhood Cancer:

We don’t know much about what causes childhood cancers but there are several things we do know:

*Rare genetic syndromes such as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (what Georgie had) can greatly increase a child’s risk of developing cancer.

*Children with Down ’s syndrome have a greater risk of developing leukaemia.

*2/5 retinoblastomas are linked to a faulty gene that has been inherited.

*Children that have had radiotherapy or chemotherapy in the past are at greater risk of developing a second cancer (As Georgie did)

Blog Posts About Childhood Cancer:

Georgie Pantziarka – http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/georgie-pantziarka-xx.html

Mitchell Huth – http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/mitchell-huth.html

Harry Moseley - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/childhood-cancer-awareness-month.html

Little Star Awards - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/twinkle-twinkle-little-star.html

Retinoblastoma - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/katy-bishop-petition-to-publish-signs.html

Joss Searchlight - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/joss-searchlight.html

Ellie’s Fund - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/ellies-fund.html

Li Fraumeni Syndrome - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/blog-post-100-tp53-and-li-fraumeni.html

Georgie Hillman - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/georgia-hillman-little-star.html

Neuroblastoma - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/cancer-types-neuroblastoma-in-children.html

CLIC Sargent - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/clic-sargent.html

The George Pantziarka Especially For You Fund - http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-george-pantziarka-especially-for.html

Having watched a loved one fight childhood cancer, my heart breaks for every family going through the same thing. Sending lots of love to all the incredible children out there fighting cancer. 

xxx

Plain Packaging News

Morning all!!!

Tomorrow will see Australia become the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging of cigarettes.

Here are some of the latest news about this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/9713249/Australias-new-plain-packaging-makes-cigarettes-taste-worse.html

http://www.smh.com.au/national/plain-packs-put-off-smokers-20121129-2aitp.html

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/plain-packaging-leaves-bad-taste-in-smokers-mouths/story-e6frg6n6-1226527002998

As most will know, we Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors have been working very hard alongside Cancer Research UK all year to try and persuade the government to introduce plain packaging in the UK.

The campaign is aimed at young people and trying to discourage them from taking up smoking in the first place. IT IS NOT AIMED AT PEOPLE WHO ALREADY SMOKE.

Please look out for plain packaging news over the next few days and it will be really interesting to see how it pans out in Austalia whilst we wait for the government's decision.

Just a few facts about plain packaging for anyone that everyone should know:

Thousands of people every year are diagnosed with cancer because they have a smoking habit. Years of research has proven very clear links between cancer and smoking. One in every four cancer deaths in the UK is directly caused by smoking. a fifth of all cancer cases in the UK are also directly caused by smoking. Cancer Research research shows that smoking is the most important PREVENTABLE cause of cancer in the world.

More then four in five cases of Lung Cancer are caused by smoking. Lung Cancer has one of the lowest survival rates. it is the most common cause of cancer in the UK. Most of these cases are preventable if you give up smoking and allow your lungs to recover.

As well as Lung Cancer, smoking also increases your risk of over a dozen other cancers:
* Mouth
* Larynx (Voicebox)
* Pharynx (Upper Throat)
* Nose and Sinuses
* Oesophagus (Food Pipe)
* Liver
* Pancreas
* Stomach
* Kidney
* Bladder
* Cervix
* Bowel
* One type of Ovarian
* Some types of Leukaemia

* There is also evidence to suggest smoking can increase the risk of you developing Breast Cancer

There are at least 80 cancer causing substances in tobacco smoke. As you inhale the smoke these chemicals are released into your lungs and spread about your body. According to scientists; these chemicals can actually damage your DNA and mutate important genes, making your cells grow and multiply until they are out of control.

I  would like to make a very important point: I, and everyone else at CRUK, fight for EVERYONE suffering from cancer and EVERYONE who will suffer from cancer at some point in the future. No one deserves cancer; it is a horrific disease that changes the lives of sufferers and their loved ones. It is cruel and aggressive. It doesn't discriminate. This campaign is not aimed at making smokers feel like pariahs. It is not aimed at taking away your rights as a smoker. It is not aimed at making smokers lives more difficult. It’s not aimed at making smokers feel embarrassed, ashamed, guilty or pressurised to quit. This campaign is aimed at children and trying to get them to not take up smoking in the first place.

Cancer Research UK receives no government funding but has become the world’s leading charity dedicated to fighting cancer and saving lives through research. The charity is committed to reducing the harm caused by tobacco and has played a significant role in securing a ban on tobacco advertising, creating smoke free workplaces, removing cigarette vending machines and most recently changing the laws surrounding tobacco displays in retailers. We are now working hard to secure plain packaging and if the campaign is successful then the UK will become the first nation in Europe to introduce plain packaging.

Research has shown that eight out of ten smokers have started smoking by the age of nineteen. Most of these smokers will develop an addiction that will stay with them long into adulthood. Half of these long term smokers will die of a smoking related illness such as cancer. That is a huge amount of people suffering from an illness that could be prevented by not smoking in the first place.

The campaigns team at CRUK have been very thorough in their research and have providing their ambassadors with all the information needed. I have a list of arguments and rebuttals against plain packaging and I will write them here for you all to see:

“Plain Packaging will make packs easier to forge and will increase smuggling”

Tobacco products are already really easy to forge so covert markings are used to detect smuggled packs. These markings will remain on the plain packs.

“Plain Packaging will affect local shops”

Plain packaging is aimed at stopping young people from starting smoking so sales will decline slowly over time giving shops a chance to adjust. Plain packets will not have any detrimental effect on shopkeepers’ ability to find the requested pack’ peer-reviewed research has suggested that plain packs will actually speed up that process

“Cigarette prices will fall”

If there is any reduction in the price of cigarettes then taxes on cigarettes can be raised to compensate

“We can’t afford to lose tax from smokers”

Taxing of cigarettes contributes £10 billion to the treasury every year. HOWEVER the cost of smoking has been estimated to be £13.74 billion meaning the strain of smoking related illnesses cost more than the tax is brings in.

No figure can be put on the cost of human suffering caused by cancer

“Plain packaging is illegal as it infringes on trade mark rights”

Nobody is taking trademarks away by including plain packaging. International treaties have opt outs where public health in concerned so this is not an illegal move at all.

The important thing to remember about this campaign is that a lot of the campaigning has been done by volunteers like me. We are members of the public who genuinely believe in the work of Cancer Research UK. We are people who do this work in our spare time for no financial gains whatsoever. You have to really believe in something to be willing to dedicate hours and hours of your spare time to a cause, especially when you have a busy career, a family to take care of and an everyday life to lead. That dedication is a powerful tool. It means the work we do is genuinely done because we believe in what we are doing. We are people who have been affected by cancer and want to help prevent our experiences happening to others.

The other thing to remember is that the tobacco companies have spent a hell of a lot of money on opposing this campaign. Why would they do that if they were not worried that plain packaging would be a threat to their profits? Two million pounds was spent by JTI alone. Tobacco companies are not allowed to advertise their products anymore. Gone are the days where a Benson and Hedges advert would loom down on you from one of those massive billboards whilst you’re stuck in traffic. They have to rely on other means of enticing smokers. Packets are one of them. Cigarette packets have become increasingly glitzy in the past few years. Our campaign “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” has also proven tricky for tobacco companies because now cigarettes are hidden away in larger retailers.

Smoking is a lifestyle choice. One that I try to understand and respect. If you know of the dangers and choose to carry on smoking then that is entirely your prerogative and I wish you well. I sincerely hope you are in the very small minority that’s doe not get ill. But the fact remains that smoking is a dangerous habit and children should be encouraged to not take up smoking at all in the first place. The tobacco industry refers to children and young people as “pre smokers”, a fact I find rather disgusting. Most smokers I know would hate for their children to smoke.

If you believe plain packaging won’t put young people off smoking then think of your time at school. Imagine your mum put an ASDA own brand can of cola into your lunchbox instead of a Coca-Cola can, would you not have been slightly embarrassed by it? It’s the same logic with cigarettes – some are cooler then others. We all know how much image means when you are young. Smoking a certain brand of cigarettes will mean something. Taking the branding away will take that image away. No one will look cooler then anyone else if everyone has the same packet.

A comment I hear frequently is “if you’re doing this to tobacco, why not to alcohol?”. I have my own opinion on this. Certain types of Alcohol, in moderation, can have some health benefits whereas there are NO benefits to smoking. Absolutely none. It makes your hair, skin and clothes smell. It ages your skin. It discolours your teeth and nails. It damages your insides. It rots your teeth. It leads to a whole host of life threatening illnesses. Not to mention the damage it will do to your bank account.

I hope this blog post has provided you with all the information you need about plain packaging and why so many people are for such a historic move. Obviously, I understand that not everyone feels the same about the campaign but I hope this blog post explains my feelings on the subject.

Good luck to Australia, I sincerely hope to read that introducing the plain packs does have an impact on the amount of young people taking up smoking. I have one preteen sister, two teenage sisters and one teenage brother as well as a preteen sister in law. I actively try to discourage them from smoking by educating them on the subject and setting an example for them. I do practice what I preach after all!!

For more information about plain packaging please do contact Cancer Research UK www.cancerresearchuk.org

xxx