PACT is a registered UK charity (number 508412).
The PACT office address is :
Sheffield Childrens' NHS Trust
Sheffield Childrens Hospital
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TH
For more information, please contact the PACT office on 0114 272 4570 or email pact@sch.nhs.uk
- PACT (Parents’ Association of Children with Tumours and Leukaemia) was founded in 1977 - with a donation of £113 - when eight parents created a support group for families whose children had cancer. The charity expanded its remit to include children with leukaemia in 1978 and, as funds were secured, services grew to include new ideas like the provision of equipment and facilities for families.
- In 1977 a child with cancer had a 55% chance of being alive 10 years after diagnosis. Today that has improved to more than 75%. However the cost of this is often prolonged and intensive treatment and sadly this is not always successful. PACT continues to be an invaluable source of practical and emotional support for children and their families throughout their contact with the oncology unit.
- In 1990 the idea to provide a home from home for families where they could be close to children undergoing treatment became a major project. A house at Western Bank, only minutes away from the hospital, has 5 en-suite bedrooms and 2 lounges and has been in continuous use since 1998.
- The outlook for children with cancer has also come a long way since 1977. Then fewer than 60% of children with cancer were treated in a regional centre. Today more than 90% are referred to specialist centres such as Sheffield Childrens Hospital. Although this means that children receive the treatment they need it does mean that many families have to travel a long distance from home for treatment, others spending many weeks in hospital. The PACT house has gone a long way to helping many families by providing a welcome respite from the stress of hospital.