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To support childhood cancer survivors, two key programmes have been established under the Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme with a generous gift totalling $2.2 million from the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). 

Leukaemia and central nervous system (CNS) tumours are two of the most frequent childhood cancer diagnoses. Advances in medical technology have improved treatment outcomes, leading to higher survival rates.

However, studies have shown that children who have survived leukaemia and CNS tumours tend to develop delayed effects as a result of treatment, especially when the brain has been affected.

The neurocognitive effects include significant deficits in overall intellectual abilities such as academic functioning or impact to specific cognitive skills like attention, processing speed and executive function.

There is a need to enhance the nutritional support of children who survive cancer during their period of growth and development to prevent malnutrition and rehabilitation therapy plays a key role during the recovery journey to enable these children to regain their physical functioning abilities.

"We are very grateful to CCF for their gift which enhances our ability to provide psychosocial and supportive care for patients during treatment and beyond."
- Dr Jasper Tong, Director, Allied Health, KKH and Deputy Group Director, Allied Health, SingHealth

To support childhood cancer survivors, two key programmes have been established under the Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme with a generous gift totalling $2.2 million from the Children's Cancer Foundation (CCF), one of KK Women's and Children's Hospital's (KKH) key partners in the fight against paediatric cancers.

The CCF Psychosocial and Supportive Care Programme for Paediatric Oncology, which was established with a major gift, aims to improve the overall treatment outcomes for paediatric oncology patients cognitively, emotionally and physically through research and education.

One of the programme's key objectives is to pilot and evaluate intervention programmes to design a proof-of-concept for a comprehensive cognitive screening plan. This multi-disciplinary approach comprising neuro-phychosocial care, rehabilitation, dietetics and nutritional care will allow a better understanding of the impact of cancer on a child's cognitive and emotional functioning and enhance efforts to integrate the child into normal life upon recovery.

Childhood cancer survivors, especially those who have undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplant, can develop complications such as poor bone health, infertility, secondary cancers, chronic liver, lung or renal diseases later in life.

The CCF Paediatric Oncology Survivorship Programme launched with another major gift to extend the database of cancers on patients diagnosed between the ages of 0 and 19.

The goal is to collect local data on the five-year survival rates of all childhood cancers by developing comprehensive model of care for long-term follow-up and transition. It also aims to provide support for clinical trials and research.

Dr Jasper Tong, Director, Allied Health, KKH and Deputy Group Director, Group Allied Health, SingHealth, who leads the CCF Psychosocial and Supportive Care Programme for Paediatric Oncology shares, "The fight against cancer impacts children and their families mentally, emotionally and physically. Survivors continue to be at an increased risk of developing a multitude of post-treatment effects and a higher risk of complications in body functions later in life.

"We are very grateful to CCF for their gift which enhances our ability to provide psychosocial and supportive care for patients during treatment and beyond."