IAEA and St. Jude Partner to Expand Childhood Cancer Care in Low-Income Nations

In a landmark move to reduce global disparities in childhood cancer care, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have announced a powerful new partnership. Unveiled during the IAEA Rays of Hope Forum in Ethiopia, the collaboration marks the launch of Rays of Hope for Childhood Cancer, a dedicated initiative under the broader Rays of Hope umbrella. Backed by a $4.5 million investment from St. Jude over three years, the effort aims to bring life-saving paediatric radiotherapy and diagnostic resources to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—where 90% of childhood cancer cases occur.

This partnership signals a significant stride toward achieving equity in cancer care, ensuring that geography and income do not determine a child’s chance of survival.

The Global Burden of Childhood Cancer

Every year, an estimated 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. While children in high-income countries (HICs) have access to advanced medical technologies and specialized care—resulting in survival rates above 80%—children in LMICs often face survival rates below 30%. This stark inequality is largely driven by:

• Limited access to accurate diagnostic imaging

• Insufficient paediatric radiotherapy infrastructure

• A shortage of trained specialists

• Delayed or misdiagnosed cases

“Children should not die of cancer simply because of where they are born,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA. “By closing the gap in access to cancer care, we can ensure that children, regardless of their geographic location or economic status, have equal opportunities for successful treatment. Survival should be a reality, not a privilege.”

Strengthening National Cancer Care Systems

The IAEA-St. Jude partnership will focus on building national capacity and expanding access to paediatric cancer diagnosis and treatment through a range of targeted activities, including:

• Training radiation oncologists, technicians, and medical physicists to meet paediatric-specific care needs.

• Developing technical guidance, curricula, and clinical resources—termed “Global Goods”—for implementation in LMICs.

• Conducting imPACT Reviews, the IAEA’s assessment tool for evaluating national cancer care systems and identifying gaps.

• Supporting national cancer control programs by embedding paediatric radiotherapy into comprehensive treatment plans.

“Partnering with IAEA highlights our commitment to increasing childhood cancer cure rates globally,” said Dr. James R. Downing, President and CEO of St. Jude. “This collaboration will help save countless lives.”

A Shared Vision for Global Equity in Care

This initiative is a continuation of both organizations’ long-standing missions:

• The IAEA, with over 60 years of experience, has helped build cancer care capacity in LMICs by supporting diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy, and nuclear medicine infrastructure through its Human Health Programme and Technical Cooperation Programme.

• St. Jude, based in Memphis, Tennessee, is recognized globally for pioneering treatments that have boosted U.S. childhood cancer survival rates from 20% to 80% since its founding in 1962.

In 2018, St. Jude and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer with the goal of increasing survival rates for the six most common childhood cancers to 60% by 2030.

“Limited access to specialized care for children with cancer has a negative impact on their chances to be cured,” noted Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, Executive Vice President of St. Jude and Director of St. Jude Global. “This effort with IAEA will help close that gap.”

Rays of Hope: Transforming Cancer Care in LMICs

The Rays of Hope initiative was launched by the IAEA in 2022 to accelerate access to radiation medicine in low-resource settings. To date, it has:

• Secured more than €90 million in contributions from governments and donors.

• Established regional anchor centers for knowledge-sharing and capacity-building.

• Extended cancer care services to thousands of patients across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

With this new childhood cancer arm, the initiative will now target one of the most vulnerable populations—children in LMICs—and focus on the diseases where radiotherapy and medical imaging are vital for cure and survival.

First Phase and Future Plans

The initial phase of the IAEA-St. Jude partnership will prioritize:

• Development and dissemination of technical resources for paediatric oncology.

• Organizing global and regional events to promote uptake of Global Goods.

• Piloting training programmes and tools in selected countries with urgent needs.

These efforts are aimed at creating long-term, scalable models of care, supported by sustained investment, international cooperation, and local ownership.

“This is about building lasting solutions, not temporary fixes,” emphasized Grossi. “It’s about equipping every country with the tools and expertise they need to protect their most precious citizens—their children.”

The new partnership between the IAEA and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a powerful reminder that international collaboration can bridge some of the world’s most devastating healthcare gaps. By focusing on childhood cancer in LMICs, this initiative stands to not only save young lives, but also transform national health systems, inspire global solidarity, and reaffirm the principle that no child should be left behind in the fight against cancer.