In fulfilling our mission to produce and deliver quality pharmaceuticals to patients around the world, Bushu Pharma recognizes that cancer is a disease that affects not just adults, but young adults and children too. While the overall outlook for children and adolescents with cancer has improved greatly over the last half-century, there are still an estimated 400,000 children and adolescents under the age of 19 years old who develop cancer each year. In high-income countries, where comprehensive services are generally accessible, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured. However, in low- and middle-income countries, less than 30% are cured.

With the strong wish that no child’s life should be cut short from cancer, we support the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which was launched in 2018. The initiative aims to increase childhood cancer survival rates to at least 60 per cent by 2030 and alleviate cancer related suffering for all children with cancer. With this mission in our minds, we hold a lecture every year in February on childhood cancer and also conduct fund-raising activities.

This year, taking into account the possible spread of the new coronavirus (especially the Omicron strain) and our company’s mission to ensure a stable supply of medicines,  we are postponing the lecture – which is presented by a pediatric cancer survivor – and the fundraising activity featuring donated items to around Children’s Day in May.

Last year’s International Childhood Cancer Day bulletin board

As an alternative event however, we will display International Childhood Cancer Day posters and explain the anniversary to our employees using our office bulletin boards and digital signage. We will also post messages from children affected by cancer and from local medical institutions that were received after we shared Christmas gifts at the Christmas fund-raiser held last November 2021 to deepen understanding of childhood cancer. This campaign is being conducted jointly by the company and the union of Bushu Pharmaceuticals.

International Childhood Cancer Day was established in 2002 by the Childhood Cancer International (CCI), a group of 171 parent groups from 88 countries. It is a global campaign to raise awareness and show support for childhood cancer. In Japan, the campaign is led by the Association for the Protection of Children with Cancer, with the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.