25th Jubilee Tour of the Regenbogenfahrt/Rainbow Ride of the German Childhood Cancer Foundation
On August 25th 2017, the Rainbow Riders visited the German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR)* in Mainz on their tour from Trier / Aachen to Koblenz. Approximately 50 participants on the bicycle tour suffered from cancer in their childhood and adolescence. Now, with the Rainbow Ride, they provide a sign of hope and encouragement to children currently battling cancer and their parents. They visited the GCCR and the pediatric oncology center of Mainz University Hospital on their one-week 600-km jubilee tour to share their important journey.
The visit of the Rainbow Riders highlighted the importance of a nationwide collection of disease-specific data. Since 1980, the GCCR has collected data on all cancer cases in Germany in children under 15 years of age, with data from adolescents under 18 years of age being collected since the beginning of 2009. The registry currently receives about 2,100 reports of new disease each year. In addition, the GCCR carries out a systematic long-term follow-up. About 33,000 former childhood and adolescent cancer patients are regularly contacted by the GCCR to learn about their general health status and potential late-effects of their cancer in childhood and adolescence. The aim is to optimize future treatment methods and follow-up care.
It was very impressive to see how much strength and courage the Rainbow Riders provide to the children and adolescents who are currently affected by cancer. Both the Rainbow Riders and the hosts in Mainz will remember the visit fondly in years to come!
* The GCCR coordinates PanCareLIFE and participates in the PanCare network (www.pancare.eu). In both PanCareLIFE and PanCareSurFup (www.pancaresurfup.eu), the GCCR hosts the data centre (WP1), which is responsible for data collection and harmonisation for all datasets collected from the data providers in both EU-funded projects.
Pictures: Thomas Böhm (Universitätsmedizin Mainz)
