Childhood cancer is a life changing diagnosis.

It affects the child diagnosed but also their siblings, parents and their friends and teachers at school. A child with cancer faces prolonged periods of time away from school in isolation and in hospital. The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust cannot change the child’s diagnosis, but we can help to make a real difference by giving them some hope and a level of normality whilst they are fighting their illness.

Why do we need these robots?

By giving isolated children this ‘window’ to their friends and the outside world, we can help them to bridge the gap. The AV1 robot allows children in a hospital bed to interact with their classroom and their peers at the same time. Not only does this bring hope and positivity to children (and their families) affected by cancer but also to their peers who are facing the sudden disappearance of their friend. We have seen how Oscar, Lucy and Zain, who have already been given the use of our AV1 robots, have already benefitted.

How many children need help?

In the counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, there are approximately 75 children diagnosed with cancer every year, with around 40 being of school age. Of these school children, more than a half will need extended periods of hospitalisation or isolation during their treatment. Our aim is to be able to support these children with our AV1 machines wherever possible. Over the first three years of the project, we aim to purchase 18 new AV1 machines and support packages for these children to use. Referrals will be made directly from cancer specialist nurse teams to ensure that the children that need them are not missed.

More information on our website >>

The Boarding School is the name of our new indoor skateboarding project. We've got a hall full of ramps at our youth centre that we set up each week for young rippers. Your wish will help us provide skateboard tuition to a young person to help them progress and earn locally recognised accreditation.

Your donation would provide a care package for someone living in isolation due to caring responsibilities and perhaps can’t get to a art group

Dover smART Project was founded in 2013 to provide opportunities for disadvantaged children in Dover to take part in a wide range of creative activities and experiences to boost their confidence, enhance their well-being, raise their aspirations and widen their outlook on the world. The charity soon evolved and began similar work with other groups, such as the people without a home and hospice patients, using art and creativity to support their various needs.