Bethany's Wish - Wilms Tumour fund

12/09/2026

As part of Childhood Cancer Awareness month 🎗️ I'm sharing our Wilms Tumour awareness video.

https://youtu.be/y-7d94hiDIQ

🧬Wilms Tumour affects over 85 children in the UK per year and is the most common type of kidney cancer. Thankfully over 90% of children are able to be cured following treatment. Sadly though, 1 in 10 children still die.

🦋That's why Bethany's Wish was set up, to raise awareness, find new treatments and fund research for children like Bethany, where sadly the treatment did not work.

🎗️Take a look at our Special Named Fund page on https://specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/bethanys-wish/ to find out more and to donate. Even a small amount can help to save a child's life 🪙

What is wilms tumour, diagnosis, staging, treatment and the future ...

04/09/2026

It can be really hard to spot cancer in children and teenagers. Many of the most common cancer symptoms are the same as symptoms of everyday illnesses.

Here are the key signs to look out for:

🔍 Clustered symptoms – a group of symptoms that appear together.
‼️ Progressive symptoms – symptoms that get worse or increase over time.
⏰ Persistent symptoms – symptoms that don’t go away or improve.

Early diagnosis can save lives. Spotting cancer in children and young people early can mean better outcomes, fewer long-term effects, and the best chance of survival.

Most childhood illnesses clear up within a couple of weeks. But if symptoms don’t go away after two weeks or something doesn’t feel right - trust your instincts and see a doctor.

Learn to spot the signs at www.cclg.org.uk/childcancersmart

An evidence-based public and professional awareness campaign to improve early diagnosis of cancer in children and teenagers.

01/09/2026

Over 4,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year. September is childhood cancer awareness month, please help us spread awareness and love to all the families that have heard those terrible words.

25/03/2026

I am so pleased to share an update for a research project funded by supporters of Bethany's Wish and other renal tumour Special Named Funds at CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association

Professor Murray's project is now in its 3rd year, a project aimed at looking into how to better monitor and diagnose Wilms tumour from biomarkers found in blood samples. The team has identified a promising set of eight microRNA biomarkers that consistently distinguish Wilms tumour samples from healthy ones, using both laboratory testing and advanced AI analysis.

During the next stage of the project, they will test these markers in a larger group of patient blood - and potentially urine - samples to confirm whether they can be developed into a reliable, non‑invasive test to diagnose and monitor Wilms tumour.

Thank you to everyone who continues to donate and support the memory of our beautiful little girl.

https://www.cclg.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-06/cclga-2022-28-murray-2025.pdf

To set up a regular donation or see further updates, visit Bethany's page https://specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/bethanys-wish/

03/11/2025

07/08/2025

So proud to see this campaign go live today. 10 years in the making, lots of research and data collection and the end result is a brilliant resource for professionals to spot the signs of childhood cancer and a public campaign to be more aware of the signs. Parents should always trust their gut and although it's a parent's worst nightmare, early diagnosis and treatment saves lives.

Please like and share with all your networks. You could just save a life CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association

28/05/2025

Proud to share an article published today where I am named as a co-author, showing for the first time the delays that children and teenagers face when diagnosed with cancer. Lots of coverage in national newspapers and more work to come 💖. Link to full paper here https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776225001218 and news story below 👇

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/cancer-symptoms-child-diagnosis-delay-b2759111.html

15/02/2025

Today is International Childhood Cancer Day. International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is a global collaborative campaign that takes place every year on February 15 to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer, the survivors and their families.

Today we remember beautiful Bethany and her legacy to make things better for others affected by Wilms tumour. Bethany's Wish - Wilms Tumour fund exists to directly fund vital research through Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group - CCLG Special Named Fund.

Since Bethany's Wish was created, together we have raised over £350,000, helping countless families, funding multiple research projects and being an international voice for children with cancer.

Today, please consider supporting Bethany's memory and donate as little as £5 per month via direct debit. By donating as little as £60 per year you can help change the lives of families faced with cancer. You can read more about Bethany and the ongoing research projects on CCLG's website https://specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/bethanys-wish/

Bethany's Wish is a Special Named Fund at CCLG raising funds to support research into Wilms' tumours

26/10/2024

I am happy to share with you an update from Professor Matthew Murray's research project part funded by Bethany's Wish and your kind donations to help children like Bethany. ,,💕🎗️

Prof Murray is making excellent progress and has already identified differences in blood samples between healthy children and those with Wilms tumour. He found 18 molecules in blood samples that could diagnose Wilms tumour, and is now refining his findings into a test that is cost effective and accurate. He is now seeing whether the test works in more blood samples, and is planning how to bring the finished test to real patients. Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group - CCLG