At Latch, we are proud of our long-standing partnership with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, the principal treatment centre and home of the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Unit at the Children’s Hospital for Wales. 

Together, we ensure that children and young people with cancer, and their families, receive not only the best possible medical care but also the practical and emotional support they need.

Supporting families alongside clinical teams

Our team is embedded within the hospital setting, work hand-in-hand with doctors, nurses and ward staff to provide tailored support for families during and after treatment .

We provide free family accommodation on-site, just one floor above the Rainbow Ward, enabling parents to stay close to their children during treatment, something clinical staff highlight as invaluable for wellbeing and recovery .

Through activities on the ward such as music therapy, therapy dog visits, and special treats, we help create a more comforting hospital environment for children undergoing treatment.

Investing in hospital services and professionals

Each year, we fund projects, specialist equipment and professional training identified by NHS colleagues to improve care standards. Recent grants supported:

  • Photobiomodulation Therapy equipment to reduce the side effects of treatment.
  • A new pill-swallowing school to help children transition from liquid to tablet medication .
  • Ongoing staff training and professional development opportunities for oncology and ward teams.

In 2023 and 2024, our grants programme supported not only families but also healthcare professionals, ensuring the hospital has the tools and knowledge to deliver world-class care. 

By funding hospital facilities, supporting medical teams, and advocating for families, we help children have better treatment experiences and outcomes. Our presence ensures families have practical and emotional support throughout their child’s care. 

This support has ranged from:

  • In the late 1980’s Latch funded the cost of building a bone marrow transplant room and paid the costs of the first five transplants for children in Wales.
  • Funding the first two community-based care with nurses providing home treatments and palliative care
  • Opening a two-storey 15-bed unit in 1995 at the Children’s Hospital for Wales to meet the needs of both younger children and teenagers
  • Launching a pioneering paediatric palliative medicine post
  • Expanding hospital accommodation and outpatient facilities in 2002
  • Raising £800,000 to add an extra floor to the children’s hospital for parent accommodation at the Children’s Hospital for Wales in 2005.
  • £1.2 Million was donated in 2021 to refurbish the Rainbow Ward at the Children’s Hospital for Wales. The redesign added single-unit beds for privacy and infection control, a large playroom and family room, and ambient lighting and entertainment to create a calm, comfortable environment. New central staff areas improve how teams respond to children’s needs.
  • Pilot funding a new early-phase clinical research nurse role at the Children's Hospital for Wales between 2019 to 2023 which helped the Children's Hospital join the Paediatric Experimental Cancer Medicines Centres (ECMC) Network in 2023.

So far in 2025 we have provided over £25,000 to the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board which has included:

A shared mission

Our partnership is built on shared values: compassion, dedication, and commitment to improving the lives of children with cancer. We are proud to be recognised by CAVUHB leaders and staff as an integral part of the care journey. 

Together, we provide not only treatment, but also hope, resilience, and a stronger voice for children and young people with cancer across Wales.