Childhood Cancer Facts & Challenges
When Kate was diagnosed with cancer, our family entered a world we knew very little about. As we navigated treatments, side effects and difficult decisions, one thing became abundantly clear: children with cancer desperately need more treatment options designed specifically for them. The statistics below are more than numbers. They reflect the realities we experienced firsthand and serve as a powerful reminder of why continued investment in pediatric cancer research is so important.
Childhood Cancer by the Numbers
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children and adolescents in the United States.
1 in 264 children are diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20.
42 children are diagnosed with cancer every day.
394 children lose their lives to cancer every day worldwide.
The average age at diagnosis is 8 years old.
95% of survivors develop long-term health problems by the age of 45.
The Reality of Survival Rates & Long-Term Health Impacts
Survival Rates
1 in 530 young adults (ages 20-39) is a childhood cancer survivor.
There are 500,000 adult survivors of childhood cancer in the U.S.
The 5-year survival rates for childhood cancer range from 0% for DIPG (a type of brain cancer) to 25% for aggressive cancers, and up to 90% for ALL (a type of leukemia).
Long-Term Health Impacts
Infertility
Cognitive impairment
Vision & hearing impairment
Nerve damage and chronic pain
Congestive heart failure
Neuromuscular conditions
Secondary cancers
Long-Term Health Impacts
Infertility
Cognitive impairment
Vision & hearing impairment
Nerve damage & chronic pain
Congestive heart failure
Neuromuscular conditions
Secondary cancers
Mortality Rates
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children and adolescents in the United States.
394 children lose their lives to cancer every day worldwide.
Children lose 70 potential years of life to cancer.
Why Children Need Better Treatments
Only about 30 targeted therapies and immunotherapies have been approved for pediatric cancers, compared to hundreds for adults.
Only 4% of federal cancer research funding supports pediatric cancers, and all childhood cancers combined receive less funding than some individual adult cancer types.
Pediatric drug development continues to lag behind adult cancer research, while drug shortages affect critical childhood cancer treatments.
The result is fewer treatment options, more side effects and slower progress toward new cures.
Why Children Need Better Treatments
Only about 30 targeted therapies and immunotherapies have been approved for pediatric cancers, compared to hundreds for adults.
Only 4% of federal cancer research funding supports pediatric cancers, and all childhood cancers combined receive less funding than some individual adult cancer types.
Pediatric drug development continues to lag behind adult cancer research, while drug shortages affect critical childhood cancer treatments
The result is fewer treatment options, more side effects and slower progress toward new cures.
The Impact Extends Beyond the Child
Childhood cancer affects the entire family, often long after treatment ends.
Survivors face increased rates of anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep difficulties.
Lasting emotional effects can impact children, parents and siblings for years.
Many parents experience symptoms of PTSD during and after treatment.
Siblings face an increased risk of emotional and behavioral challenges.
One in four families loses more than 40% of household income during treatment.
But Progress Is Possible
These statistics underscore the urgent need for more pediatric cancer research, but they also show what is possible. History has shown that when awareness grows and research becomes a priority, outcomes improve. The same can happen for childhood cancer.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer mortality rates have declined 44% since 1989, preventing an estimated 517,900 deaths.
The American Cancer Society attributes this progress to increased awareness, earlier detection and advances in treatment.
When breast cancer is diagnosed at a localized stage, the 5-year survival rate exceeds 99%.
Childhood Leukemia
In the 1970s, fewer than half of children diagnosed with leukemia survived.
Today, the 5-year survival rate for the most common form of childhood leukemia is approximately 90%.
These breakthroughs were made possible through decades of research, innovation and investment.
For Kate and every child affected by cancer, we will continue advocating for the research and progress they deserve. The journey may be long, but our goal is simple: a future where no child is lost to cancer. Until then, we'll keep fighting because Funding Finds Cures.
Sources
American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025, American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Statistics 2024, American Cancer Society, “Prognostic Factors and Survival Rates for Childhood Leukemia”, National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, Childhood Leukemia Statistics.
