Buildings to glow gold for childhood cancer awareness

A group of North East parents of children with cancer have teamed up with others from around the UK to try to make a difference and change the face of childhood cancer.

Without improved awareness and increased publicity, little will change in terms of early diagnosis, research, treatment or prognosis for youngsters.

Glow Gold September is a childhood cancer awareness campaign to get iconic buildings to illuminate in gold during the month of September.

Julie Yates, formerly of Alnwick, whose 16-year-old daughter is currently in remission from bone cancer after fighting it aged 12, said: “We need iconic buildings across the North East to illuminate their external façade in gold for September from dusk until dawn.

“We want to improve the profile of childhood cancer in line with that of the more well-known adult cancers.”

Ten children are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every day. Of those, a quarter won’t survive the treatment and the vast majority will be left with lifelong side effects from the treatments that have changed little in the last 30 years.

Julie added: “Our aim is to ensure the colour gold becomes synonymous with childhood cancer and our awareness month September.

“So far we have Alnwick Castle, Bondgate Tower in Alnwick, the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge signed up to Glow Gold in the North East this September with a few more in the pipeline.

“Please help us to get your place of work or favourite building to light up in September for children’s cancer awareness.”