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In some of the countries where World Child Cancer works, families have to travel for hours - sometimes more than a day - to reach hospital. If a child is diagnosed with cancer, they may then have to repeat this journey time and time again to undergo treatment. In many cases, one parent will have to give up work to be with their child in hospital. They will have to find money to fund the journey, medication and food to keep their child as strong and healthy as possible during treatment. In countries where some families earn as little as £90 per year, spare money for the parent to eat and find somewhere to sleep is almost non-existent. In these cases, parents are forced to sleep wherever they can - sharing their child’s hospital bed, in the corridor or even in the car park.

These parents have received some of the worst news they will ever receive - their child has cancer - and now they’re sleeping outside for days and weeks on end. We can’t imagine what this must feel like, but we have organised the Sleep Out to raise awareness of families who find themselves in this position and to raise funds to support children with cancer in developing countries.