Cure Leukaemia Raises £166,000 in The Big Give Christmas Challenge

Cure Leukaemia Raises £166,000 in The Big Give Christmas Challenge to Accelerate ATICUS Network

Cure Leukaemia is thrilled to announce a monumental success in The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2025, smashing its original £100,000 target to raise an incredible £166,000.

The phenomenal total, raised in just one week, will be put to use to accelerate the opening of the ATICUS Network – a world-first national infrastructure dedicated to paediatric stem-cell transplant trials.

The funds will fast track the appointment of key clinical roles needed to establish the network, moving vital, potentially life-saving clinical trials closer to children with blood cancer across the UK sooner than anticipated.

The campaign’s success was fuelled by the generosity of individuals and the steadfast commitment of corporate sponsors, including Westbridge Foods, Win Your Dream Bike, The Cassidy Group, Adam Hewitt Ltd and Davison’s Law. The charity also saw heartwarming engagement from clinical teams across the country, who did their part to support the cause this Christmas with bake sales and other fundraising activities.

Cure Leukaemia Patron Gary Lineker OBE, who featured in the Big Give Christmas Challenge film added: “To see the Cure Leukaemia family raise an incredible £166,000 in just one week is a phenomenal achievement. This money will make a world of difference to families who are currently facing their own terrifying diagnosis, like we did many years ago, giving more children the chance for a future.”

The urgency of establishing the ATICUS Network is highlighted by the stories of families who have benefitted directly from clinical trials, such as Jo Hawkridge, whose son, Jude, was diagnosed with blood cancer as a child and whose life was saved by a clinical trial.

“My family knows first-hand the devastating diagnosis of childhood blood cancer and the hope that clinical trials can bring. The trial my son, Jude, was able to access saved his life. Knowing that the money raised in The Big Give will hasten the opening of the ATICUS Network, creating more opportunities for children across the UK to access these cutting-edge treatments sooner, is simply wonderful. Thank you to everyone who donated and helped give other families the chance for a future.”

James McLaughlin, Cure Leukaemia CEO, said: “To raise £166,000 from a target of £100,000 is simply incredible and a true reflection of the generosity of the Cure Leukaemia family, through existing and new supporters, who join us on our mission to bring us closer to a cure.

Every single donation, big or small, has contributed to this monumental total. I want to give a special thank you to The Reed Foundation, our Champion Funder. Their commitment meant that every donation made during the challenge was doubled, maximising the impact of our supporters’ kindness and ensuring we can take the first crucial steps to establish the ATICUS Network.”

James Reed, Chairman of the Reed Foundation, said: We are delighted to have been the Champion Funder for Cure Leukaemia during this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge. The Reed Foundation is committed to supporting projects that deliver a tangible, life-changing impact, and the ATICUS Network is a perfect example of that vision in action.”

To follow the developments of the ATICUS Network and discover more about what the success of the Big Give Christmas Challenge will make possible, please visit the Cure Leukaemia website.