September is the UK’s first official Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Here at NCCA UK (Neuroblastoma Children’s Cancer Alliance UK) we’re marking the occasion by throwing our Chief Executive out of a plane.

'I can't quite believe I have agreed to do this! I'm not sure how I am going to bring myself to get on that plane. Of course, I don't have to look any further for inspiration than the families and children I am lucky enough to meet through my work. After just over a year with the charity, many have become friends. As a charity, we ask fundraisers every day to take on challenges and help children with neuroblastoma. I can see what needs to be done. It is simple to put into words but so much harder to make it happen. Fewer families travelling abroad for treatment is one of our aims, but getting closer to saving more children is my goal. So while parents are looking after and enjoying time with their children who have spent so long battling, or going through the grief neuroblastoma so often brings - I would like to do my part to try and help with the bigger problem for all present and future families.

It is true for any cause that it always comes down to money. For clinical trials alone, the 'cheapest' one I know of is still in the region of £250k. Very few of us have the power to write a cheque of that size! However, I know that as a charity we can make a difference through our communities coming together. Looking at how much people have raised for treatment abroad since our inception (over £5million), if we had just half that amount to spend - we would have so many promising options right here at home for families. Of course I understand the need to fundraise for children going through this right now. This is me doing my part and I really hope that others will join me.'

Our height-phobic CEO Bettina Bungay-Balwah knows that her fears are nothing compared to what families affected by childhood cancer are going through. We’re calling the event ‘Boss Drop’ and hoping that the leaders of other organisations will join Bettina in making a leap of faith to raise funds for childhood cancer.

Our boss is taking a long fall to highlight the short fall in childhood cancer funding. More research is needed before children can benefit from the better treatments that are used in adult cancer.

Please do dig deep, every penny really does help! Thank you.

To find out more about the NCCA UK please go to www.ncca-uk.org

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