World Child Cancer
1033. Tim Eden
Professor Tim Eden, from Edinburgh, lending his extensive medical experience to ‘World Child Cancer’, helping the charity to assist 5,000 children living with cancer each year.
In developed countries 80 per cent of children diagnosed with cancer survive, however in developing countries survival rates can be as low as 10 per cent. Tim has been an invaluable trustee to the charity since it was launched in 2007, combatting this issue by lending his oncology expertise. He uses his network of medical contacts to develop effective partnerships between hospitals in high income countries with struggling childhood cancer units in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Tim advises the charity, which receives funding from DFID, on providing essential medicines including chemotherapy supplies, transport costs, awareness raising initiatives and essential staff roles. Tim is also the medical adviser to the ‘Teenage Cancer Trust’ in Scotland and has chaired a number of international committees, including as President of the ‘International Society of Paediatric Oncologists.’
In a personal letter to Tim, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“The success of World Child Cancer is a testament to your invaluable work creating lasting partnerships between hospitals in developed countries and struggling cancer wards in Africa, Asia and Central America. By lending your extensive medical expertise to the charity, you are providing essential support to thousands of children with cancer every year.”
Tim said:
“This is a big surprise but a very welcome one not just to me but for all my wonderful colleagues with whom I work as a volunteer at ‘World Child Cancer’ and the hospital teams in both high –income countries and those in developing countries who have been recruited to create twinning partnerships to improve the diagnosis, care and survival of children worldwide.”