All children and young people diagnosed with cancer are treated in one of the 21 specialist hospital centres across the UK and Ireland. If the doctor at your local hospital thinks that your child has cancer, they are likely to send your child to one of these Principal Treatment Centres.
Often, some of the treatment which your child receives can be given at your local hospital under the guidance of the nearest specialist centre. This allows your child to be treated closer to home and, more importantly, gives better access to local community support services.
This is called 'shared care' and the local hospitals are known as Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Units (POSCU).
Specialist hospitals
All children and young people diagnosed with cancer are treated in one of the 21 specialist hospital centres across the UK and Ireland.
Shared care centres
The Paediatric Oncology Shared Care services allows children and young people with cancer to be treated closer to home so that families do not need to travel long distances to the nearest principal treatment centre for some procedures.
Hospital staff
Many different hospital staff will be involved in your child’s care and at first meeting all the staff may seem overwhelming.
Multidisciplinary team (MDT)
A team of specialists will plan the treatment they feel is best for your child’s condition.
Being in hospital
Children’s wards are relaxed and friendly places that give you and your child as positive an experience as possible. You’re likely to get to know the staff well.
Medical terms explained
Doctors may use unfamiliar words that you don’t understand. Here are some of the most common ones explained (alphabetically).