Download letter you can use to invite - Childhood Cancer International

Dear……..,
I am writing to invite you and your team/organization to join the global celebration of International
Childhood Cancer Day on February 15th. This is being led by CCI (formerly ICCCPO), of which our
organization is a member. CCI is a 20 year old global network of parents, survivors and cancer support
organizations in 90 countries, spanning 5 continents.
Every three minutes, a child dies of cancer somewhere in the world. Every three minutes, a family’s
life is shaken to its very core by the loss of a child. While already striking, this number is recognized to
be a substantial underestimate which fails to capture the true global childhood cancer burden. This is
attributed to the lack of registries, prevalent under diagnosis, misdiagnosis and/or under registration
of children with cancer in most low and middle income countries. Experts and researches estimate
that approximately 90% of children with cancer reside in LMICs.
In our country ….
Childhood cancer is cureable. Despite this reality, childhood cancer deaths are increasing in both high
resource and low resource countries. It is now the leading cause of deaths in developed countries and
in most middle income countries. Thus, there is a need to ACT NOW (#actnow4kidswithcancer) to
Join Voices, Consolidate Forces, Coordinate Initiatives .
This year, in collaboration with its members, other global networks (SIOP, UICC, ICPCN, Max
Foundation), and leading institutions (Harvard Global Cancer Control, St Baldricks Foundation), CCI
is launching a Global ICCD Alliance and the global campaign ACT NOW (#actnow4kidswithcancer).
This campaign lasts all the way to September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in a number of
countries). The theme is Better Access to Care for Children/Adolescents with cancer
(#betteraccess2careforkidswithcancer).
Locally, our organization is collaborating with … in …
Dr. Oleg Chestnov, the Assistant Director General for Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health
at the World Health Organization asserts that: No child should die of cancer - it is as simple as that. He
also underscores that: The majority of children with potentially curable cancers can get cured even in
low-resource settings, and all children with advanced cancer can benefit from pain relief and palliative
care. Children’s rights cannot be fulfilled and protected unless preventing and treating cancers is
included as a priority within national cancer control programmes. Together with NGOs such as CCI,
WHO is strongly committed to supporting national efforts to control childhood cancers in low- and
middle-income countries and to reach all children in need, wherever they are excluded and left
behind. If we overcome the barriers that have kept these children from the services that they need
and that are theirs by right, then more will grow up healthy and realize their full potential. The
celebration of ICCD is a significant step in this direction.
We are sending you the campaign materials as attached (Briefer, Act Now, Why Now, The Gold
Ribbon Story).
On ---- our organization will ……. (describe your events .. when, where, who )…
We are hoping your team would be interested to join us in these local activities as well as to join the
Global ICCD Alliance.
Looking forward to collaborate with you on this initiative as we work together to increase visibility,
awareness and support for children/adolescents with cancer, the survivors and their families.
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