World Child Cancer was set up in 2007 by ICCCPO (International Confederation of Child Cancer Parents Organisation), under the leadership of Geoff Thaxter. At the time, Geoff was Director of Services for CLIC Sargent, the UK’s largest children’s cancer charity, and Chairman of ICCCPO network of 105 organisations in 65 countries working to support the families of children with cancer. During a conference in Bangladesh, Geoff and his wife Gill visited a number of children’s cancer wards and saw for themselves how little was being done for these children despite curative and palliative treatment being available at relatively low cost. One young patient with a brain tumour received only paracetamol to manage their pain.  His own daughter, Lisa, had sadly lost her battle with cancer some years before and the lack of even the most basic treatment being available for children in developing countries convinced him that something could and should be done.

Geoff set to work building an international team of trustees to help create a charity which had the capacity to deliver treatment worldwide and advocate for more funding – both globally and regionally.   His personal and professional experience put him a unique position to gather together the people who could help make his vision a reality. He recruited like-minded colleagues from ICCCPO, Marianne Naffs-Wilstra (The Netherlands) and Simon Lala (New Zealand), along with two eminent paediatric oncologists with experience of delivering cancer treatment programmes in low to middle income countries, Professor Tim Eden (UK) and Dr Raul Ribeiro (USA). Geoff’s passion for the cause persuaded Gordon Morrison, former Chair of CLIC Sargent, to take on the role of Chairman of the new charity.

Tragically, Geoff died in August 2008.  Gordon and the trustees of World Child Cancer are determined to continue working towards Geoff’s vision of a world where every child with cancer, no matter where they live, has access to the best possible treatment and care. Today, World Child Cancer supports projects on three continents and is continuing to identify and develop new projects every year. We are delighted that Gill Thaxter, Geoff’s wife, is our Patron.  

Geoff and Gill Thaxter during their visit to Bangladesh in 2006

"Geoff and I visited Bangladesh in 2007 and we were shocked at the lack of treatment and care for children with cancer. We saw one child with an incurable brain tumour being given only paracetamol to ease the pain. So much more could be done for these children at relatively little cost. I’m delighted to be a Patron of World Child Cancer and to continue the work of the Charity that my husband, Geoff, founded."
Gill Thaxter,
Patron of World Child Cancer