If you would like to support a local charitable organisation in or around Camberley, please take your time to read about our amazing son Christopher and the reasons why we set up a charity in his name. Christopher's Smile - coz kids get cancer too.
Christopher's Smile
Charitable Organisation
In Camberley
"Our vision is for every child diagnosed with childhood cancer to not
only survive, but to reach adulthood enjoying a good quality of life."
My husband and I set up Christopher's Smile last October having lost our son a year ago in June to an aggressive brain tumour following 21 months of battle with the disease. He was 9 days away from his 6th birthday.
We wanted to find something positive in our tragedy as well as keeping Christopher's name alive and remembering his wonderful smiling face. We thought long and hard about the direction we should take and feel strongly that the current cycle needs to be broken: no more horrendous treatments with devastating side effects or ongoing fear and uncertainty regarding possible outcome.
The survival rates for many childhood cancers has not improved in decades and often children who survive their disease are left with a legacy of side effects from the treatments with which they have to live and deal with for the rest of their lives. To date there are no specific treatments for children (chemotherapy was developed for adults and these cancers are different to childhood cancers) and for these reasons we are currently raising funds to support the paediatric drug development team at The Institute of Cancer Research along with other leading UK Academic Research Centres.
The team at The ICR is developing targeted biological drugs to provide an effective cure for children who still do not survive their disease. We feel that if through our efforts families do not have to endure the tortures we have suffered, our efforts will be worthwhile.
Progress to Date
Our first target was to raise £35,000 to put in place a Scientific Officer to test new drugs and we are thrilled to have raised sufficient funding for this position to be offered for a one year tenure.
We are also funding vital pieces of equipment for the team and will be supporting a collaborative project to move the science forward in this area of research as much as possible.
How You Can Help
In order to exploit and keep pace with the scientific discoveries and new understanding of cancer and to maximise the scientific opportunities presenting themselves, funding is urgently required.
Times are tough but cancer doesn't respect economic cycles and we are determined to do our best to help to make a difference in what is an extremely under funded area of cancer.
If you feel you would like to help us is in some way, we would love to hear from you.
Please email us at info@christopherssmile.org.uk or visit our website:
www.christopherssmile.org.uk
Click here to donate online
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Karen & Kevin Capel
Please mention The Best of Camberley when you contact Christopher's Smile Charitable Organisation.