Along with other children’s cancer charities, LATCH is marking Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (#CCAM) this September, shining a spotlight on the issues faced by childhood cancer and leukaemia and the many ways in which LATCH steps in to support the entire family.

Throughout this month, LATCH is also inviting our supporters to help support our Childhood Cancer Month Fundraising Campaign, helping to ensure our vital services are around for families today and for those who will face similar struggles in the future.

Having a child diagnosed with cancer or leukaemia comes as a devastating blow. Faced with a period of months and sometimes years of gruelling treatment and an unknown future, the related ups and downs are often referred to by families as like being on a rollercoaster.

Caring for a child during treatment is hard on all the family. Finances are often a worry as parents often take time off work to support their child. Family relationships can suffer too, as the emotional pressure takes its toll and everyday life is turned upside down.

Over 70 cases of childhood cancer and leukaemia are diagnosed in our catchment area each year, and LATCH supports over 120 families each year on average. LATCH’s services cost over £800,000 each year to run and, with no paid fundraisers, LATCH relies purely on donations and support from people just like you.

So where does the fundraising go? LATCH is most well-known for its on-Site Family Accommodation at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff which is offered to families free of charge and helps keep families together during their child’s stay in hospital.

LATCH also provides a vital Social Work Service: three social workers who are there to provide practical, emotional and financial support in a confidential environment.

LATCH also provides financial Support through Grants – this can be for travel, food, even rent or mortgage payments in some cases. Last year alone, LATCH gave out over £350,000 in grants which helped families meet the ongoing needs of their children whilst often taking time off work to care for them.

Jade Morgan, LATCH General Manager, commented: “We’re so honoured to be able to use this month to highlight the very real need for our support services which provide direct and tangible support to families from across Wales. Our grants, for example, far exceed those of other charities and we are consistently told that our services are the one thing that kept families afloat both emotionally and financially during their child’s treatment pathway, often for years on end.”

She continued: “We hope as many of our supporters as possible will get behind our campaign which will help us to ensure our services grow and meet the needs of families facing some of the toughest times imaginable.”

To give a one-off donation to help support LATCH’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Campaign, visit our JustGiving page here or our Facebook Fundraiser page here.

Your donation won’t tie you into regular giving or annoying marketing emails, and an amount as small as £5 can make a huge difference supporting families of a child with cancer or leukaemia.

JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/childhoodcancerawarenessmonth

Facebook Fundraising: https://www.facebook.com/donate/423825161811012/