PHOSSCON Marks 10 Years of Advancing Childhood Cancer Care
The 10th PHOSSCON brought together NGOs, researchers and healthcare professionals to strengthen childhood cancer survival, research and support in India.
How can India achieve its goal of more than 60% childhood cancer survival by 2030? This question took centre stage at the 10th PHOSSCON, held at IISER Mohali alongside the 29th PHOCON of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics’ Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Chapter.
The conference marked a decade of efforts to integrate scientific research, treatment and compassionate care. It also highlighted the growing role of NGOs in research, policy advocacy and improvements to healthcare systems.
Landmark Research on Childhood Cancer Survival
A key highlight was research led by Professor Dr Sameer Bakhshi and his team at AIIMS New Delhi. The team consolidated three decades of Indian childhood cancer survival evidence across 182 studies involving 22,886 children.
Patient advocates Poonam Bagai and Sonal Sharma advocated for the study and contributed as co-authors. They emphasised the need for reliable evidence to track progress towards the UNGA 80 resolution target of 60% childhood cancer survival by 2030.
The findings underline the importance of measuring survival outcomes. They also support efforts to identify gaps in care and improve treatment for children across India.
NGOs Join a Study Involving 400 Families
PHOSSCON also highlighted the expanding role of NGOs in childhood cancer care. Alongside seva and family support, these organisations are contributing to research, policy advocacy and healthcare capacity building.
A significant development was the commitment of 24 NGOs to participate in a patient-journey study involving 400 families. Dr Pooja Sharma of Apar Health will guide the study under the PACER (Patient Advocates for Clinical Research) project.
The study aims to document families’ experiences throughout their care journeys. Its findings could help inform healthcare policies and improve support for children with cancer and their families.
Strengthening India’s Childhood Cancer Initiatives
Discussions also covered civil society’s contribution to the Indian Childhood Cancer Initiative (ICCI) and its Strategic Roadmap. Participants highlighted engagement with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Technical Expert Group for childhood cancer.
They also discussed implementation through state partnerships. These efforts aim to strengthen coordination and improve access to childhood cancer care.
Punjab provided an important example of this approach. Building on CanKids’ partnership with the state government since 2017, stakeholders are developing an Integrated Childhood Cancer Care Framework.
The framework identifies HBCH Mullanpur, AIIMS Bathinda and CMC Ludhiana as key hubs, with CanKids serving as the implementing partner. If developed further, the model could also benefit neighbouring states.
Dr Revathy Raj Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Another moving moment was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Lokeshwar Award to senior paediatric oncologist Dr Revathy Raj.
Anitha Joshua, a parent and Managing Director of David Foundation, paid tribute to Dr Raj’s compassionate care. She shared that although her child did not survive, Dr Raj had helped her survive as a mother.
Her tribute highlighted an essential part of childhood cancer care: supporting families with compassion, even when treatment cannot save a child’s life.
A Decade of PHOSSCON: From Care to Survival
Poonam Bagai, Organising Chair of all ten PHOSSCON editions, reflected on the conference’s journey since 2015.
“When we began this journey in 2015, our commitment was to bring the science of cure together with the humanity of care.
Over ten PHOSSCONs, I have watched our NGO community grow from seva and support into partners in research, advocacy and healthcare systems change. Today, we are asking a bigger question—not just how to help children through treatment, but how to help more children survive.
And as one mother’s moving words reminded us, even when cure is not possible, care must never fail.”
The 10th PHOSSCON reaffirmed a shared commitment to improving childhood cancer outcomes in India. By bringing together research, advocacy, healthcare partnerships and family support, the conference highlighted the need to help more children survive while ensuring that every family receives compassionate care.
