Oldhamers urged to give up clothes for good!

This September - Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - people in Oldham are being called on to clear out their wardrobes to help more children and young people survive cancer.

They are being urged to donate pre-loved quality fashion and homeware to TK Maxx’s Give Up Clothes for Good campaign, in support of Cancer Research UK for Children and Young People.  

When sold in Cancer Research UK shops, each bag of items donated could raise up to £25 for research into children's and young people's cancers.  

Every year, around 190 children are diagnosed with the disease in the North West.

But thanks in part to the charity’s work, across the UK, more youngsters are now surviving than ever before. 

While Cancer Research UK celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022, its history dates back to the founding of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in 1902. 

Its discoveries and research breakthroughs have helped to transform children’s cancer survival in the UK.

This has more than doubled since the 1970s when just over a third of children diagnosed survived beyond ten years.

Today, it's around 8 in 10 - but there’s still much further to go.

That’s why in Manchester, the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is one of the many centres across the UK taking part in ground-breaking clinical trials coordinated by Cancer Research UK’s Children's Cancer Trials Team.

These trials make innovative new treatments available to children with cancer in across the region.

One of the trials is finding out what the best possible treatment options are for children and young adults with a type of brain tumour called ependymoma.

Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North West, Jemma Humphreys, said: “As we mark our 20th anniversary, we’re reflecting on the huge progress that has been made thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

"But, cancer still claims around 500 young lives every year in the UK.

“Cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults – from the types of cancer to the impact of treatment and the long-term side effects survivors often experience.

"So, it needs more research which campaigns like Give Up Clothes for Good help to fund. 

“We want to help ensure more people under the age of 25 in Oldham and across the UK, survive cancer with a good quality of life. 

"So, we hope as many people as possible will donate any quality clothes or goods to their local TK Maxx store.

"Not only could they help to save lives, they’ll also be reducing their environmental impact by giving their pre-loved items another lease of life.”

TK Maxx is the biggest corporate supporter of Cancer Research UK’s research into children’s and young people’s cancers.

Since 2004, the retailer has raised over £40 million to help improve survival and reduce long-term side effects for youngsters.

This includes supporting the Cancer Research UK Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, which brings together expert researchers from across the globe to accelerate the development of better treatments for children with brain tumours. 

Give Up Clothes for Good is one of the UK’s longest running clothes collections and people can donate at any TK Maxx store, all year round, including the one on Union Street in Oldham.

Supporters can also help by wearing a gold ribbon badge – the awareness symbol of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – available from Cancer Research UK shops and selected TK Maxx stores during September.  

Find out more or donate online here

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