In partnership with sanofi-aventis, the UICC World Cancer Campaign embarked in 2005 on a childhood cancer campaign under the banner "My child matters"

Each year, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and it is estimated that 90,000 will eventually die of their disease. Although childhood cancers represent a small percentage of all cancers, most of them can be cured if prompt and essential treatment is accessible. However, as 80% of children with cancer live in developing countries where access to information, early detection and effective care and treatment is difficult, more than one in two of these children diagnosed with cancer will die.

The My child matters initiative consists of three main components:

1. Call for projects;
2. Worldwide mobilisation and awareness campaign to highlight the effects of childhood cancers;
3. Preparation of state-of-the-art reports on childhood cancer, the first of which was made available to the general public in connection with World Cancer Day, 4 February 2006.