The Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre

Did you know that of all children who die with cancer, 1 in 3 will die not because of the cancer, but because of the side effects of treatment? Worse still, research into reducing these side effects for children is under-resourced, sparse, and inadequate.

Amazing progress has been made in understanding and treating childhood cancers. Today, around 80% of children or young people diagnosed with cancer survive.

But despite advances in curative medicine, little has been done to improve the experience of living through and beyond cancer. Children often receive cancer treatments designed for adults and the impact on their smaller bodies can be severe. They suffer horrible side effects which can be traumatic, permanent, and even deadly.

Meet Ralph

Six-year-old Ralph has T-cell lymphoma.

The treatment he’s receiving is incredibly effective; it began immediately and he is responding well to it. But it’s shocking to see what the side effects are doing to his little body...

The chemotherapy is aggressive and makes him sick. It decays his teeth and five have to be removed. His skin is sore and painful to touch. His immune system is severely suppressed, and he develops sepsis. Ralph’s mum, Cleo says, “No one can prepare you for the side effects. He couldn’t walk, he swelled up from steroids, he would scream in agony.

If the side effects of Ralph’s treatment aren’t controlled properly, there’s even a risk he could die. We urgently need better ways to care for Ralph that will limit his side effects, reduce his suffering, and improve his quality of life and chance of survival.

The care Ralph needs doesn’t exist yet – but it will.

Introducing the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre

Developing effective, kinder care is the best and fastest way to improve the lives of children with cancer and increase their chances of survival. The research that will help us do this is called supportive care.


What is Supportive Care?

Supportive care refers to everything except the treatment of the cancer itself. Supportive care includes preventing side effects of treatment, managing pain and reducing infection. It’s the care that gives children as full a life as possible.


We know research makes a difference. After all, because of research, the five-year survival rate for children’s cancers increased from 73% to 86% between 1997 and 2016. Now, we’re establishing the first Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre (CSCRC) at the University of York to develop effective, kinder care for young people with cancer, which will save lives, reduce suffering, and bring hope.

The CSCRC will enable the world’s leading supportive care experts to carry out high-quality research. It will invest in future supportive care specialists. And it will save lives, reduce suffering and bring hope to young people with cancer – not just in Yorkshire, but around the world.

As part of our commitment to childhood cancer research, we’ve worked closely with experts to identify the huge impact that can be made through improved supportive care. We believe our Research Centre can change the landscape of cancer care and transform what it means to undergo cancer treatment as a child.

Here, a team of experts will conduct high-value research which will rapidly advance the care of children and young people with cancer. Creating the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre is a five-year project which will cost just under £1m. Together, we can make it a reality.

In the last 25 years alone we have invested over £11m into childhood cancer research, to improve early diagnosis, survival rates, treatments and quality of life, and develop experts for the future. Now, we want to take our commitment to the next level,

What impact will the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre have?

In the short term, we will look at how to minimise hospital stays, prevent severe mucositis (mouth ulcers) and prevent nausea and vomiting. In the long-term (5-15 years), we aim to see:

  • A team of new, capable researchers who will take studies to the next level.
  • Fewer children and young people dying from side effects caused by cancer treatment.
  • Better nutritional interventions and improved psychological and social support.
  • Sustainable generation of grant income to continue to produce high-quality research.
  • A Yorkshire-based, world-class centre of excellence in research, impacting global care.

We're currently looking for people, businesses or foundations who may be able to help with funding support for this ground-breaking research. If you would like to be involved or would like to find out more, email [email protected].

Our stories

Dortech are our April 2021 Company of the Month!
07-05-21Our stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
We are delighted to announce Dortech Architectural Systems as our Company of the Month for April! The team at Dortech have bowled us over with their enthusiasm and creativity to come up with various ways of supporting Candlelighters. Through the Dortech Doors arm of the business, they are donating £100 for each door sold in …
Eli’s Story
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My name is Naomi, and I’m Eli’s Mum. I’m 27 years old. Eli was two and a half when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). He was diagnosed on the 18th of September 2019. He is now four years old, and due to finish treatment the day before his sixth birthday. At the …
Every Step of the Way…Rhian’s Story
09-04-21Our stories • Posted by Sean Donnelly
Hi everyone. We are Julie and Andy, parents to Rhian and Keeley.  Rhian was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) shortly after her fifth birthday in 2015. She completed her treatment in August 2017 and was clear of cancer for 20 months. She sadly relapsed in April 2019 and then during her treatment for this …
Company of the Month – Squire Patton Boggs
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We’re delighted to announce that our company of the month for March is the fabulous team at Squire Patton Boggs, Leeds. They chose Candlelighters as their charity of the year for 2021 and have been going great guns to raise funds for us, despite the challenges of fundraising when most of the team are working …

Your stories

Supporter Spotlight – Junior Team George
23-05-21Your stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
Today we’d like to say a massive thank you and good luck to the members of Junior Team George who will be scaling the famous Penyghent of the Yorkshire Dales.   The group of children aged 8-15 will take on the 11km scramble today in aid of Candlelighters and as part of the wider Team …
Supporter Spotlight – Stacy Procter
20-05-21Your stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
We were delighted to see our volunteer and supporter Stacy was featured in the press recently for her Captain Tom 100 challenge in aid of Candlelighters! Upon hearing of the Captain Tom 100 – a fundraising challenge in memory of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore – Stacy decided to rally friends and family to …
Kingsley’s Ultra-marathon
14-05-21Your stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
Today we’d like to recognise the incredible fundraising efforts of Kingsley Dove, who will complete an intense 100-mile ultra-marathon later this year and has already raised over £2,500 for Candlelighters in support of his cousin’s son, George. George’s mum, Emma, said, ‘On 9th September 2019, I turned up at the Leeds General Infirmary A&E department, …
Supporter Spotlight – Leila-Louise
02-05-21Your stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
Today we’d like to say an enormous thank you to the amazingly selfless Leila-Louise for deciding to shave her hair to support Candlelighters and The Little Princess Trust.  Leila-Louise decided she wanted to do something to help after her best friend’s little brother, Jackson, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in July 2019. Jackson’s mum …
Ramadan Mubarak!
22-04-21Your stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
We’re now well into the holy month of #Ramadan for all our Muslim families and supporters.    Ramadan is a special time for Muslims around the world, with a focus on fasting, prayer, reflection and community. During Ramadan in 2020, one of our fabulous supporters, Shaukat Patel, set up a fundraising page to encourage his …
David’s 10k Challenge
08-04-21Your stories • Posted by Gaby Stead
Today we’d like to recognise the fabulous David Slater, who is undertaking a mammoth challenge to run 10k EVERY DAY for 10 weeks to raise funds for Candlelighters and Mind, hoping to raise an epic £10,000 to split between both charities!   David, Chief Operating Officer at The Property Buying Company, aptly began his challenge …