Dr Jordana McLoone

This grant is incredibly meaningful because it recognises a growing group of young people who have survived some of the most difficult childhood cancers but continue to face lifelong health challenges. Survival is only the beginning of their journey, and we have a responsibility to ensure they receive the support they need long after treatment ends. 

For our team, this funding allows us to build on years of research in healthcare transition and work alongside young survivors to create something that is genuinely designed around their needs. It also reflects the strength of an extraordinary collaboration between clinicians, researchers, and consumers across Australia who share a commitment to improving survivorship care. 

Personally, this project is especially rewarding because it focuses on helping young people navigate one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives—moving from the security of children's hospitals into adult healthcare. It's a privilege to work on research that has such clear potential to improve everyday lives. 

More children are surviving cancers that were once considered almost impossible to treat. While this is a remarkable success, many of these young people leave children's hospitals with complex health needs that require lifelong monitoring and support.

Unfortunately, the transition into adult healthcare is where many survivors become disconnected from care. They often lose the relationships and support they have relied on throughout childhood and are suddenly expected to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system on their own. 

Our project will adapt an existing digital transition program, called Transition Compass, specifically for survivors of poor-prognosis childhood cancers. Through supportive text messages, short educational videos, and personalised nurse guidance, we hope to give young people the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to successfully establish care in the adult health system. 

Ultimately, our goal is simple: to ensure that surviving childhood cancer is not where support ends, but where a lifetime of appropriate care begins. 

To everyone who supports The Kids' Cancer Project—thank you. 

Your generosity doesn't just fund research; it creates hope for children and families facing some of life's most difficult circumstances. Because of your support, we can tackle important questions that might otherwise go unanswered and develop practical solutions that improve the lives of young people long after acute cancer treatment has ended.

While more children than ever are surviving cancers once considered untreatable, many continue to face lifelong health challenges caused by their cancer and its treatment. Your investment in research helps ensure these young people remain connected to the specialist care and support they need as they move into adulthood, protecting those hard-won survival gains for decades to come. 

Every breakthrough begins with someone choosing to invest in research. We are deeply grateful for your trust and support and committed to turning that investment into better futures for children and young people affected by cancer.