Meet Junior Ambassadors - Jemima and Vittoria

Tuesday 1 June, 2021

Our ambassadors play a really important role to help raise awareness and funds for the work we do helping children with cancer and their families.

We’re delighted to welcome Jemima Leydon and Vittoria D'Ortenzio to our Junior Ambassador Program, following on from the fantastic work that our inaugural junior ambassadors, Tara Knight and Ed Sach, have been involved with since 2018.

Jemima was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006 when she was only five years old. The Childhood Cancer Association supported her family from the moment she came out of emergency surgery and during her four rounds of chemotherapy. Jemima knows first hand how a childhood cancer diagnosis never affects just the child, as it has had a huge impact on her family. After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2020 at the age of 19, she gained a new perspective on her childhood experience seeing the full effect of her diagnosis on family and friends.

After suffering back pain at 16 years of age, Vittoria was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer on the left side of her pelvis. She underwent an initial 12-week cycle of aggressive chemotherapy and a 14-hour operation to remove the tumour and surrounding pelvic bone. Then she had to learn to walk again, followed by another 22 weeks of chemotherapy. The support offered to her and her family by the Childhood Cancer Association offered a sense of community during such a challenging time.

The Junior Ambassador program has been designed for young adults under 26 with opportunities to represent the Association at events, assist with fundraising initiatives and inspire community groups. Contact us if you'd like to learn more about our Junior Ambassador Program.

Be sure to say hi to Jemima & Vittoria when you spot them at an upcoming event!