Childhood Cancer Outcomes

Kirsten Oswald Excerpts

Tuesday 26th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) (SNP)]

I have spoken previously about a fine young man from East Renfrewshire called Daniel Caplan, who passed away at the end of 2020 aged 17, having been diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma. His brave family have kept raising awareness and funds in the memory of their lovely boy. Every nine days, a UK family gets that particular diagnosis for their child, which is devastating.

Another local family has a teenage daughter who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia. Her father made a number of important points that I would like to put on the record. For example, some current therapies for cancers, including types of leukaemia, are particularly onerous and can lead to challenging side effects in the long term. A lack of research means that in some areas, treatment and care has barely advanced in 40 years, so research is very much needed. He also made the point that professionals in the field are doing tremendous work, but they need more backup. Charities are taking on too much of the heavy lifting, and we need a Government commitment to that specific research.

I would like to make most of my remarks in relation to one wee girl from Barrhead, because recently so many people there have been in touch to ask me to raise the case of little River. I have heard from River’s mum, Katie, and am grateful that she spoke to me. When she first got in touch, she wrote:

“If you ever had to live on a child’s cancer ward, anyone would soon realise that childhood cancer isn’t that rare. They deserve so much more than 3% government funding.”

She also said that she really appreciated my speaking about little River. I am glad to speak about the wee girl and know that everyone in the Chamber will want to send their best wishes to River, her family and the other families that I have mentioned.

Little River is only two, and she was diagnosed with a brain tumour last September. She has been through surgery, she is going through intense chemotherapy and she will need further treatment. She is also in intense physio rehab. She is really going through the mill, but she is ploughing on with the love and support of her family. However, even when understandably her mum could be focused only on River, she points out that she is thinking of not only her girl but all the other children who would benefit from greater emphasis on research. That better treatment and increased knowledge can come only with better research.

River is being treated at the Schiehallion ward at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Her mum says that the staff there are so lovely, which I know is true—I have heard it so often before—and we are all grateful to staff across the UK for the outstanding work that they do. But, fundamentally, none of us can disagree that we need a commitment to further research, because, without that, we will not see the better outcomes, the better treatment and the better ways forward that these children and their families deserve.