The paediatric oncology shared care team consists of doctors, nurses, dieticians, psychologists, social workers, play specialists, therapy services and community nurses. However, this is just to name a few of the members. It can be an emotional journey at times and the support that this multi-disciplinary team gives both during and after active treatment has ended can be of huge benefit to help our youngest patients.

Naomi Oldreive is a Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist at St George’s Hospital, and shares why it’s important to raise awareness of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The paediatric oncology team all work together to help support children and their families through their cancer journey and beyond.

Why is children’s cancer awareness month important to you and your team?

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month helps us as a team to highlight the impact of cancer on young people and their families. While we work with various charities daily all year round, we use September as a month to really focus as a team to increase the awareness of childhood cancer and the amazing work we do to help support the children alongside their families. It is also an important time to raise funds to help further research into treatments.

What do you enjoy most about working within our children’s cancer team?

The shared care team here at St Georges is like an extended family. We all work together and help support each other so that we can be the best we can for our patients and their families. The speciality we work in can be sad at times especially when we are breaking bad news but to know that we have each other makes the job easier. Everyday brings new challenges but the rewards we get back from our patients whether this is in the form of a high five or a smile makes my job a joy and I wouldn’t work anywhere else. The children I look after are a real inspiration and it is a pleasure to accompany them on their cancer journey and beyond.