Improving the treatment of childhood cancer: raising awareness to make impact

Innovations in pediatric oncology 

CAR-T is an innovative immunotherapy that uses the child's own immune cells to recognize and specifically attack cancer cells. CAR-T increases the chances of a cure due to its effectiveness in destroying cancer cells, and it has been shown to greatly reduce side effects compared to traditional/currently dominant chemotherapy, which can trigger intense side effects for patients. Therefore, further development of this therapy is of great importance. Unfortunately, this treatment method is very expensive, and more research is required before it becomes more accessible and widely used.

Wolters Kluwer employees join the cause

Wolters Kluwer employees give back to our communities and various causes like these in creative ways, for instance, by directing the cost of year-end holiday gifts towards charitable donations or by engaging in sport challenges through our global Well-Being program. These are just some of the ways teams worldwide are empowered to bring our sustainability strategy to life, while making an impact on causes closest to them and their local communities.

In 2022, employees donated thousands of euros from the value of their year-end gift and/or by participating in a “Moving for Máxima” cycling challenge and about 1,000 employees tracked steps for a month to “walk around the world” during our global Well-Being Step Challenge. This campaign will kick-off again next month, with the Máxima slated as a beneficiary for the fundraiser. 

A donation check was presented to the Máxima during their anniversary campaign this summer, delivered by Matthijs Lusse, Executive Vice President of Finance, Wolters Kluwer Health (pictured below with Rick Admiraal). During the presentation, Matthijs emphasized: “We are proud to support the work of leading children’s healthcare centers like Princess Máxima Center in the Netherlands and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in the U.S. These partnerships generate value not only through the support we provide to our customers, as a leading global provider of medical information within expert solutions like UpToDate, Lexicomp, Lippincott and Ovid, but they’re an extension of our contribution to society. Our employees take great pride in contributing to life saving organizations like these that deliver impact when it matters most.”  

New research highlights need for health equity to impact cancer survivorship

According to UpToDate’s What’s New in #Oncology, new reports out of the U.S. point to the importance of increased access to health insurance for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, in addition to the need for long-term surveillance against cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of mortality in childhood cancer survivors.  

According to the WHO childhood cancer factsheet, while treatment can be cost-effective in all income settings, less than 30% of children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are cured, prompting the launch of the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer to enhance health outcomes globally.

Linking this to big picture goals, improving outcomes for children with cancer around the world links to furthering achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Target 3.4 focuses on ensuring healthy lives and well-being, particularly by reducing by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 2030. Learn more on UN.org.