*Welcome to the CLDF Media Room* | Key Facts

Key Facts

• More children are diagnosed with liver disease than childhood leukaemia

• At least two children are diagnosed with a liver disease every day in the UK

• Most childhood liver diseases are life threatening; all mean a lifetime of care

• There are over 100 different liver diseases that can affect babies, children or young people

• Liver disease has no cure

• Liver disease can affect any child; there is no group considered at risk

• Liver disease affects children of all ages – 20% are diagnosed as babies, 20% during childhood and 30% during adolescence

• Liver diseases in children are complex and varied in cause.  They include viral infections, inherited liver diseases, structural defects of the liver and / or biliary system and auto-immune diseases 

• For most childhood diseases we do not know the cause

• There are three paediatric specialist centres for liver disease in England – Birmingham Children’s Hospital, King’s College Hospital, London, and Leeds General Infirmary

• At least two children every week have a transplant in the UK

• The five year survival rate for paediatric elective liver transplants in the UK is approximately 85%

• CLDF is the only organisation dedicated to stamping out childhood liver disease and is committed to improving survival and quality of life for every child diagnosed with a liver disease

Download a CLDF 'key facts sheet'