Schoolchildren donning caps to fight childhood cancer (From Bucks Free Press)

Schoolchildren donning caps to fight childhood cancer

10:45am Friday 8th February 2013 in News By Neil Phillips

SCHOOLCHILDREN from across Bucks will be donning their caps next week in a bid to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

The ‘Caps 4 Kids’ event us a global campaign and is being staged in this county by The Thomas Ball Children’s Cancer Fund.

Elaine Ball, chair of the charity, said: "All we ask is that persons taking part in this event, wear a cap to work or school and make a suggested donation of £1 towards our campaign."

The idea of wearing caps next Friday, February 15, is to show compassion for children who must wear hats or wigs during chemotherapy, and raising cash in the process.

Bucks schools that are set to take part so far include St. Pauls in Wooburn Green, Carrington Juniors in Flackwell Heath, Prestwood Infants and Juniors, Heritage House in Chesham and Curzon C of E Combined in Penn Street.

The Thomas Ball Children's Cancer Fund will donate all funds raised from this event to support Neuroblastoma research that will enable UK children to take part in important clinical trials that will benefit not only the patient but future children who are diagnosed with this very aggressive cancer.

Misbourne School pupil and founder of the charity, Thomas Ball died from neuroblastoma in 2003 aged 14 years.

It is a solid tumour that normally occurs in one of the child's adrenal glands and can travel in the nerve tissue along the spine to pelvis, chest, abdomen and neck and to other tissues and organs in the body typically the bones, bone marrow, liver, lymph nodes and skin.

Prognosis is poor for children diagnosed with this cancer and money is desperately needed for research.

For more information on the Caps 4 Kids event contact the charity 01494 890157 or visit the website www.thomasball.org.uk

Donations can also be made by texting CAPS13 and the amounts of either £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070.

The charity is holding a quiz night tomorrow to kick start the campaign. Tickets are available from The JNP Partnership, Prestwood at a cost of £12 each that includes a fish and chip supper.