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When her nephew, Nicholas, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just two years old, Claudia Clamer and her family were plunged into uncertainty. Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour in children under five. For Nicholas and his family, the diagnosis marked the start of a long, uncertain journey through major surgery, months of chemotherapy and radiation, bone marrow transfusions and immunotherapy, the final conventional treatment available to him at the time.
“It was actually really positive to put that anxious energy and nervousness into something that can help," Claudia says.
As for many families facing childhood cancer, Claudia found herself searching for a way to make a difference. Through her connection with The Kids' Cancer Project, she learnt about Write a Book in a Day and signed up as a volunteer reader, helping assess stories written by teams.
"It just sang to me," she says. With a communications background and having studied English literature at university, Claudia felt this was the perfect way to support Nicholas and kids just like him around Australia. "It's like, yes, this is how I can help organisations like The Kids' Cancer Project. If it's not for Nicholas, it's for the kids that come after, so that research is continuing and treatments keep improving."
More than a decade later, Claudia is still volunteering as a reader. What keeps her coming back every year? The same reason she started back in 2015: the knowledge that every story written supports children and families facing cancer.
The diagnosis is to the child, but it impacts the whole family.
For Claudia, participating in Write a Book in a Day provided a positive outlet, something greatly needed by families during treatment and uncertain times.
"How do you funnel this fear and anxiety and make it something positive?" she says. "The enthusiasm in the children's books and the creativity has kept me there. It's just something very positive to be part of."
Over the years, Claudia has seen the campaign grow into a nationwide movement. Her first year in 2015 saw 529 teams comprised of over 4,500 young and adult writers participate. A decade on, Write a Book in a Day saw its highest participation to date, with over 16,000 writers from 569 teams across Australia. The record-breaking $1.23 million raised in 2025 was equivalent to the cost of delivering at least five new clinical trials across Australia, giving up to 150 children access to cutting-edge therapies they otherwise couldn’t receive. Children like Nicholas.
The growth of the campaign is another reason that keeps Claudia coming back every year. And for her, those numbers represent something greater than just fundraising.
"You just see how much it's grown over time and the number of entries. So many young people want to get involved and help other children," she says. "You don't need to be a professor of language or a bestselling author to participate, get behind it, and you get something really positive out of it.
"I think that is so motivating and such a wonderful thing to be part of." She believes students gain so much more than just writing experience from participating. "I think seeing the book at the end is the result of a fabulous team effort," she says.
"You've got people writing, building the story, connecting it together. You've got people creating beautiful illustrations that support the story. It's a great team-building exercise and, in the world of work, you don't achieve something great by yourself. You achieve something great together."
For the teachers, she explains there is joy in seeing their students come together to collaborate, create and contribute to something meaningful. For the families and children facing cancer, it means something even greater.
You do some of it for yourself because you really enjoy it. But you're also doing something to help someone who's less fortunate or families who are going through very difficult times. You're giving them a positive distraction and raising money for better and kinder treatments.
The idea of paying it forward is a driving reason behind Claudia’s involvement. She has seen this within her own family as well, as her niece, Charlotte, and nephew, Luke, fundraised for their brother and The Kids' Cancer Project when he was diagnosed. From shaving their heads to organising bake sales and getting their schools involved with Write a Book in a Day, Charlotte and Luke supported their brother any way they could.
"They couldn’t actually help their little brother, but they could raise awareness" she explains.
Throughout Nicholas's treatment journey, she witnessed first-hand the importance of research and the continued work to improve outcomes for children with cancer.
"It means a whole lot," she says. "It's a way of saying thank you to organisations like The Kids' Cancer Project for being committed to the cause and finding really positive ways to help families through the journey."
Every book she reads is a reminder of why she continues as a volunteer.
"It makes you aware that not everyone lives the life you've got," she says. "There are other people living totally different lives, with different perspectives and challenges."
For Claudia, Write a Book in a Day is more than just a writing competition. It’s a way to transform compassion into action and channel uncertainty into something positive. To help make a difference and ensure a bright future for children like Nicholas and those who come after him.
So, if, like Claudia, you're looking for a way to make a difference for children like Nicholas, becoming a volunteer reader for Write a Book in a Day may be for you. To find out more about volunteering, getting your school involved or to donate, head to writeabookinaday.com.
