LATCH was formed in 1982 by a group of families and friends who recognised that the children and their families not only needed medical support, but also social and welfare support to ease the huge financial burden placed on families with a child on treatment.

The first major project LATCH embarked upon was the building of parent accommodation and this was opened in 1982. Children can be in hospital for weeks, if not months, at a time and it is essential to their well being that they have their families close by.

As more and more children attended the out-patients' clinic it was noticed the area was becoming overcrowded and the treatment room was small with only one recovery bed. Once a child came out of the anaesthetic he/she was taken to sit on the parent's lap or in a wheel chair so that the bed would be free for the next child. Consequently, the children waiting for treatment would see the patient come out of treatment all sleepy and tired and know it was their turn next. This was not acceptable and LATCH launched its appeal for a new treatment centre with more recovery beds and more modern facilities.

Six months into the appeal one of the children went to the University Hospital of Wales to have a scan. She was left waiting in a corridor, developed hypothermia and had to be wrapped in tin foil. This horrified everyone at Llandough and two words were added to the appeal for a new out-patient treatment centre "and equipment" to enable LATCH to purchase a scanner so the children would no longer have to travel between hospitals. This equipment cost £302,000 and it was to the credit of the generosity of the people in Wales that LATCH was able to provide not only an out-patients' treatment centre, but the CT scanner within two years of starting the appeal.

The late 1980s

In the late 1980's LATCH funded the cost of building a bone marrow transplant room and paid the costs of the first five bone marrow transplants for children in Wales. It was also recognised that there was a need to look after children in the community whilst they were on treatment and, particularly, if they had been diagnosed as terminally ill. LATCH funded the first two community nurses who liaised with GP's and schools. They also administered intensive treatment in the home and provided terminal care when required.

During the years LATCH has, and continues, to provide expensive items of equipment for the unit.

The early 1990s

In the early 1990's it became apparent that the old-fashioned "Nightingale Ward" was not the most efficient environment to treat children with cancer. It was suggested that a clean air environment and smaller wards, including single-bed rooms would give the children a better chance, because the largest enemy of a child fighting cancer is the immuno suppressive therapy. This leaves the child vulnerable to all childhood ailments, e.g. mumps, chicken pox, measles, etc. which although not serious diseases in themselves, are life threatening to a child on immunotherapy.

Facilities for teenagers

In 1992 LATCH launched its appeal for a new 10-bedded unit with clean air facilities. Whilst the appeal was running, it became nationally recognised that the needs of a group of individuals had hitherto been ignored, namely adolescents. There is no good time to have cancer, but to have it as a teenager is devastating. These youngsters who are struggling to pass exams and create their adult identity, suddenly find their hair is falling out and their facial appearance is distorted as a result of the drugs. The needs of these young people are quite separate and different; they require the privacy of a unit without the inquisitiveness of the very young or the pity of the adult. They need an environment where they can behave normally with people of their own age. LATCH's appeal therefore turned out to be for a two-storey unit providing ten beds downstairs for younger children and five beds upstairs for adolescents. The cost to LATCH was £1/2m. The new Unit was officially opened in April 1995 and has proved to be hugely successful.

Social workers

LATCH funds three social workers who are an essential part of the team. As well as providing morale support to the families, they are the key link between LATCH and the families. The social workers are able to asses their needs and apply to LATCH for grants accordingly. These may be for practical purposes, such as fuel bills, travelling expenses, or for special treats for the children.

LATCH provides funds for medical and nursing staff to attend educational courses to ensure they are kept up-to-date with modern developments, as well as provision of books and journals to the unit.

LATCH has, for many years, funded full-time research doctors. Their research looks at the late effects on children who have been treated for cancer.

In spite of its tremendous achievements over the years, LATCH has always tried to put the children and their families' welfare above all else. As well as providing practical assistance, LATCH has provided holidays for those children who have an exceptionally rough time or have missed years of their childhood by being in hospital.

Palliative medicine has now become well established in the care of adults who require symptom control, but until very recently there have been no such resources available for children. We have pump primed a senior lecturer post in this very specialised area who provided support and advice to GP's, community nurses and other members of the home care team. This was the first post of its kind in the UK and helps to ensure the children who, sadly, cannot be cured, die as peacefully and as free from pain as possible in their own home.

Relocation

Relocation of the paediatric oncology unit to the new children's hospital for Wales in 2005 has proved another challenge for LATCH. Because we know how highly the families value the benefit of being able to stay together during this stressful time we committed ourselves to funding parents' accommodation and an out-patient unit above the in-patient ward. The appeal was set up in 2002 and raised £800k to fund this project.

We could not be engaged in any of these ambitious schemes if so many generous people failed to agree that these children with cancer in Wales are special and that we need to make the treatment years as safe and as pleasant for them, their siblings and parents.