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Two Tyneside charities join forces to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September

10 Sep 2025

Today marks the official opening of an exciting new art installation at The Bridge Gallery, Tynemouth Station. “Invisible Journeys – A Tribute to Young Cancer Patients in the North East & Cumbria” aims to shed light on the often hidden challenges faced by young people living with cancer, and their families.

This powerful exhibit is born from the collaborative work of two local Tyneside charities, Children’s Cancer North and North Tyneside Art Studio and will be open to the public to view from 10^th September to 4^th October, in celebration of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Approximately 4,200 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year [1], with around 120 of those living in the North East and Cumbria. Despite ongoing advancements in research and treatment, cancer still remains the leading cause of non-accidental death for children aged one to 9 in the UK [2].

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity to highlight the prevalence of the disease in our communities, and this exciting new installation forms part of Children’s Cancer North’s ‘Paint The Toon Gold’ regional awareness campaign.

Members from the two charities join to publicly launch the installation at Tynemouth Station, stood in front of the large central weaving

Showcasing a meaningful message

Abigail Hewison, Head of Charity for Children’s Cancer North, shared;

‘‘It has been incredible to see this project come to life through the imaginative work of the staff and members of North Tyneside Art Studio. Receiving a cancer diagnosis and undergoing treatment is a life-altering experience for any individual, especially for children and young people who are often less able to comprehend their situation.

‘‘Many of the challenges they, and their families, face are invisible to the public eye: the emotional toll, logistical hardships, and the disruption of daily life. Even something as routine as traveling to an appointment becomes a heavy burden, with some children in our region travelling over 100 miles daily to receive treatment at the Great North Children’s Hospital.

‘‘We are proud to be showcasing the remarkable journeys that these children make through this exhibition and hopefully increasing the public’s awareness of our cause throughout September, which marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month’’.

The installation features 120 handcrafted golden stars to represent each child that receives a cancer diagnosis in the North East and Cumbria per year. The stars have been produced in play sessions across wards 4 and 14 of the Great North Children’s Hospital, the two paediatric cancer wards that Children’s Cancer North support.

Part of the charity’s support includes the funding of Nursery Nurse, Sarah Bedingfield, who works within the play team to help create a sense of normality for patients visiting the outpatient day unit.

Sarah said, ‘‘It’s been lovely to see so many children and their families get involved in this activity and we’ve all shared some laughs along the way when things got a bit tricky! The children are excited to be able to see their work on display in a proper gallery’’.

The hashtag for the campaign #CCNGold is displayed on a sign surrounded by handmade golden origami stars

At the heart of the exhibit is a giant woven sun representing the hospital and everyone within the multi-disciplinary team that care for the children and their families. Long golden sun rays span the exhibition space and signify the varying distances that families travel for treatment, with some children travelling over 100 miles from their homes to visit Newcastle – a journey that represents an array of emotions and hardships for many.

The weavings have been produced by members of North Tyneside Art Studio in several workshops running throughout August.

A large sun-like weaving features in the middle of the exhibition space, made up of different shades of cream and golden fabrics. Platted sun-ray strands branch off from the central weaving in various directions across the gallery to represent the journeys that patients take to the RVI hospital which forms the centre of their childhood cancer journey.

As part of the project, community workshops have also been held at their Wallsend location where participants were introduced to the project and the work of Children’s Cancer North, taking part in interactive sessions to also create some of the golden stars that are featured in the installation.

One participant shared; ‘‘It’s been a wonderful session and I’ve really laughed along today as we all attempted origami! This is what is great about coming here; getting the opportunity to work with new and different organisations and contribute to something meaningful.’’

Paul Hillier, Chief Executive Officer at North Tyneside Art Studio, added; ‘‘This project has been a great opportunity for the people we work with to feel part of something bigger and experience the power of creativity to inspire hope and community’’.

If you can't see it in person, explore our photo gallery here:

A large sun-like weaving features in the middle of the exhibition space, made up of different shades of cream and golden fabrics. Platted sun-ray strands branch off from the central weaving in various directions across the gallery to represent the journeys that patients take to the RVI hospital which forms the centre of their childhood cancer journey.

A large star hangs from the gallery space featuring a quote written by a young cancer patient sharing their biggest challenge relating to childhood cancer.

Pictured from left to right; David Humphreys – member of North Tyneside Art Studio, Paul Hillier – CEO at North Tyneside Art Studio, Abigail Hewison - Head of Charity at Children’s Cancer North, Jennifer Crozier - Marketing and Communications Manager at Children’s Cancer North.

Participants from one of the Wallsend community workshops showcase their handmade stars which feature as part of the exhibition in Tynemouth Station. They are also wearing gold hats and sunglasses to show their support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

For more information about how you can get involved in the Paint The Toon Gold campaign this September, visit https://childrenscancernorth.org.uk/paint-the-toon-gold/.

To find out more about the work of North Tyneside Art Studio, visit https://northtynesideartstudio.org.uk/.

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Two Tyneside charities join forces to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September

If you can't see it in person, explore our photo gallery here:

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