February 15: International Childhood Cancer Day

Manuel Van den Broucke, sports, society and politics correspondent, February 15, 2026

Origin and Goals

International Childhood Cancer Day, created in 2002 by Childhood Cancer International (CCI) and celebrated every February 15, aims to improve access to treatment and support research to raise survival rates for young patients worldwide.

Scale of Pediatric Cancer Worldwide

Pediatric cancer affects about 400,000 children each year worldwide. In North America and Europe, survival rates exceed 80%, while in Africa and South Asia they fall below 30%. In India, more than 75,000 new cases are recorded each year, but only 10% of children receive adequate treatment. In Nigeria, where the survival rate is below 20%, many children with retinoblastoma arrive too late at under-equipped hospitals such as Lagos University Teaching Hospital, often leading to removal of the affected eye.

Most Common Cancers in Children

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common childhood cancer worldwide, accounting for nearly 30% of cases. In France, the Institut Curie treats about 500 children with brain tumors such as medulloblastoma each year, which makes up 20% of childhood brain cancers. In India, neuroblastoma, a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system, is diagnosed in more than 1,500 children a year. In Ghana, Burkitt lymphoma, an aggressive cancer of the lymph nodes linked to the Epstein-Barr virus, is one of the most common childhood cancers, due to high exposure to malaria. In Latin America, osteosarcoma is especially common among teenagers, and centers such as Garrahan Hospital in Argentina are developing internal prostheses to limit amputations.

Medical Advances in Treating Childhood Cancer

In the United States, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital developed CAR-T therapy, used to treat resistant forms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, achieving a remission rate of over 85%. In Germany, Heidelberg University Hospital uses proton therapy to treat brain tumors such as medulloblastoma, reducing side effects on young patients' brain development. In China, Beijing Children's Hospital is running trials of tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat certain cases of chronic myeloid leukemia, with a response rate above 90%. In Africa, where late diagnosis remains a problem, the Uganda Cancer Institute has set up early screening programs paired with chemotherapy for Burkitt lymphoma, raising survival rates from 30% to 60% over ten years.