Northampton's Alan Carr urges 1,000 people to give £100 to Neuroblastoma UK charity to help children

Alan, who was raised in the town, has become a patron of the charity which is now looking for 1,000 people to give a donation of £100 to help children diagnosed with the condition.

A child with neuroblastoma only has a 65 per cent chance of survival, making it one of the most lethal childhood cancers, yet strangely it is not known about widely. Neuroblastoma research is desperately underfunded, whereas research into adult cancers is extremely well funded by comparison.

Alan said: “I am proud to have become a patron of Neuroblastoma UK, and was introduced through an auction held earlier this year of a sculpture of myself, in aid of the charity.

“People there told me all these personal stories about how they had lost their child to this vicious cancer, and I just thought why doesn’t everyone know about it - it’s just not on people’s radar. Apart from leukaemia, it’s the biggest killer of children from cancer, so how could I say no to the invitation to become involved?”

Neuroblastoma UK is the leading research charity into the childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, and with the help of Alan to widen the profile of the charity, they are looking to raise £100k towards vital research into the cancer over the next six months.

Susan Hay, chair of Neuroblastoma UK, said: “Our aim is to bring closer the day when all children survive this aggressive childhood cancer by kick starting three additional research projects this year.

“To date we have invested £6 million in research, and this has helped change the survival chances of children with neuroblastoma from virtually nothing to 65 percent. We need to make this 100 percent, and in order to do this we need to find more effective and kinder treatments for children diagnosed with neuroblastoma, which kills as many children as leukaemia.

“We are delighted to welcome Alan on board, and are extremely grateful for the time and effort he has already put into the charity, and we are looking forward to working closely together with him. He will be a huge asset to the charity, and is also a breath of fresh air, bringing new ideas to the table to explore,” she added.

Neuroblastoma is the second most common childhood cancer with a solid tumour, and 100 more children in the UK are diagnosed with neuroblastoma every year.

Alan added: “One of the most horrifying facts about neuroblastoma is that it is so hard to diagnose because you think your child just has a pain somewhere.

“What I liked about it (NBUK) is that it helps families as well as raising funds for research. I want to find fun, exciting ways to raise awareness, and money, because the disease gets nothing from the Government, with heart.”

The NBUK£100k campaign, led by Alan, is looking for 1,000 generous people to give £100, and if they can’t give £100, to give what they can.

Ms Hay said: “It’s small number of children diagnosed, but when it’s your child that doesn’t matter tuppence. You fight and you keep on fighting.

“Help us give children life, and their families hope.”

To find out more about NBUK£100k campaign and Alan Carr’s involvement with Neuroblastoma UK, please visit www.neuroblastoma.org.uk

To donate, please visit https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/4968