LCGB Conference 2023 – Breastfeeding infants & children with cancer
Lyndsey Hookway PhD RNC SCPHN (HV) IBCLC Background Childhood cancer affects approximately one in 500 children, making it more common than SIDS. Unlike SIDS, the rate is rising and cancer is the leading cause of death in children aged 1-15 years with 45% of cases diagnosed before the age of five years. Despite this, awareness of childhood cancer and the effects of cancer on breastfeeding are poorly understood, and there is no research at all on this sub-population. Methods A not-for-profit awareness campaign and support group - Breastfeeding the Brave - was established in 2019. To date, almost 100 parents…