A FORCE FOR CHANGE
Aoife's Bubbles
What We Do
Aoife has one very clear goal; to establish a clearer, and more accessible pathway for children suspected, or showing symptoms of, childhood cancer.
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Everything we do is for Aoife, and all the children like her.
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ABC's 2024-2025 Aims
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1. Raise awareness of childhood cancer
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No-one knows children better than their parents. That's why we want to arm the public with as much knowledge and awareness of childhood cancer as we can, so you have the confidence to challenge health care professionals if you feel that something really isn't right.
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Childhood cancer is not rare! 5 children are stolen by cancer every week.
80% of children receive their cancer diagnosis when they are already at Stage 4. This hugely reduces the chance of survival. ​​​​​
​​​2. Training & education for healthcare professionals
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Cancer treatment is only effective when it's provided in time. As you saw above, for 80% of children it comes far too late.
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That's why Aoife's Bubbles, in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital, are developing a CPD module focussed on childhood cancer signs and awareness, particularly for Germ Cell Cancer.
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This will be delivered by Aoife's Bubbles charity and will be available to GPs, A&E, and all front-line healthcare professionals.​​​​
​​3. Support children's cancer journey
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Aoife's Bubbles provide acts of joy, with regular gift drops to children at Great Ormond Street, on cancer wards and in hospices, and pony visits with our very own charity mascot, Bubbles.
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We also provide opportunities for respite for children with cancer and their families. We're aiming to buy a beach hut, so that children & their families can feel the sand between their toes, whilst taking on the fight of their life. You can donate to the beach hut specifically, by donating here.
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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Additionally, Aoife's Bubbles provides counselling services to families affected by childhood cancer.​
​​4. Support the Institute of Cancer Research's eSMART trial
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Treatment options for children specifically are currently non-existent. The only options are adult drugs... tested on adults, not children.
Professor Louis Chesler leads the ICR’s Paediatric Solid Tumour Biology and Therapeutics team and play's a vital role in the new eSMART trial. They are working to understand the genetic factors driving each child’s individual cancer, so the treatment can be a lot more targeted with precision medicine.
Louis says: “We want to match each child diagnosed with cancer in the UK to the latest targeted drugs”.
The trial will build on the incredible insight gained from genomic testing, which identifies which cancer-causing genes and mutations are present in a tumour, in order to assess how effectively the personalised treatments selected for each child are working.
The use of detailed testing and targeted treatment plans will ensure that children enrolled are more likely to respond positively, as well as sparing them from any unnecessary side effects.
This will undoubtedly give children a better chance to have their very own chance of survival.​​​​
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Aoife's Bubbles have pledged £15,000 towards this research. You can support this pledge directly by donating here.
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