A CANCER charity is urging people in Worcestershire to support a new campaign working to drive down the amount of children and young people dying from cancer.

Although new figures have shown the amount of children dying from cancer in the UK has dropped by 58 per cent over the past 40 years, Cancer Research UK has launched a campaign working to drive this down even further.

In the mid 1970s about 1,300 young people aged 24 and younger died of cancer every year, but today this figure stands at about 550.

The Kids & Teens campaign, which launched last week, is raising money for research into treatments and cures for children and young people with the condition.

The charity’s spokesman for Worcestershire Paula Young welcomed the figures, but said more work needed to be done to save more lives.

“Cancer has a devastating impact on youngsters,” she said.

“Children and young people can face months of painful treatment, as well as the upset of being away from home and friends.

“Also, some unfortunately face living with long term side effects from their treatment, such as infertility and disability, which have an impact throughout their adult lives.

“Sadly, not every youngster survives but we continue to fight for every child and every family and hope to double the amount we spend on children’s and young people’s cancers in the next five to 10 years.”

Every year about 1,600 children aged 14 and younger – including about 130 in the West Midlands – are diagnosed with cancer in the UK, along with a further 2,200 of 15 to 24-year-olds.

For more information on the campaign, visit cruk.org/kidsandteens.