The Azaylia Foundation exists to drive change in childhood cancer.
We fund research. We support families. And we challenge a system that still treats childhood cancer as rare.
Because for the children and families living through it, it is anything but.
Our Work
Four children die every week
Yet childhood cancer receives **less than 3% of cancer research funding**.
This gap exists largely because childhood cancers are still classified
as rare diseases.
That classification shapes funding priorities.
It influences research investment.
And it slows the development of treatments designed specifically for children.
For families facing childhood cancer, the consequences of that system are real.
Our work focusses primarily on changing a system that considers childhood cancer to be rare, and as a result, has been underfunding childhood cancer for too long. This includes donating to UK institutions advancing early diagnosis and the availability of new treatments, and collaborating with our community and other organisations to raise public awareness and campaign for change.
And as long as the current system continues to let families down, we also donate towards the individual treatment of children, when treatment is not covered by the NHS.
Our WorkThe Azaylia Foundation was founded by Ashley Cain and Safiyya Vorajee after losing their 8-month old “little lion” Azaylia Diamond Cain to AML (acute myeloid leukaemia) in April 2021.
During her fight against cancer, Azaylia lit up the world with her beautiful smile, braveness and perseverance, giving people everywhere hope and inspiration.
Our Story
Due to a systemic underfunding of childhood cancer, children in the UK are regularly given treatments developed for adults, often leaving them with life long damage even in the case of survival. We are beyond honoured to announce that we have donated £101,850 to the University of Oxford’s Department of Paediatrics, to fund the Scientific […]
Read more about University of Oxford
Azaylia’s Wall (Nuneaton) to Trafalgar Square (London), 109 miles. A tough physical and emotional journey for Ashley and family to commemorate Azaylia’s anniversary with the community, while at the same time raising awareness at a time when it is so important for everyone – government, institutions, media and the public – to understand that childhood […]
Read more about 30 Hour Ultra Marathon
The Azaylia Foundation are pleased to be supporting Lee and his family with a £10,000 donation towards his proton beam therapy in Spain. Three-year old Lee has rhabdomyosarcoma fusion positive (a really aggressive form of cancer). He had it in his leg, groin, bones, bone marrow, lower spine and upper spine. After treatment managed to […]
Read more about Lee’s Story
