Children diagnosed with cancer in Ireland are still not automatically entitled to a medical card, leaving their families with the added stress of having to undergo a means test, the Childhood Cancer Foundation (CCF) has said.

Over 200 children are diagnosed with cancer in Ireland every year - that is around four families per week being given this devastating and life-changing news. Yet many have to then battle for a medical card as well.

Speaking to Irishhealth.com, CCF member, Gillian Smith, emphasised that this process adds yet more stress to already overwhelmed families.

"The form filling and information gathering required for this process are an added burden on families facing an extremely stressful time. Without the medical card, families are forced to pay for inpatient treatment, medications, medical equipment, bandages etc... needed for children going through treatment," she noted.

Furthermore, the only childhood cancer currently recognised under the Long Term Illness Scheme is acute leukaemia. This scheme ensures that affected patients are provided with relevant medicines and surgical appliances free of charge.

"Leukemia affects about 25% of childhood cancer patients, so this leaves a large number of families without any automatic entitlement to support from the HSE," Ms Smith pointed out.

The families of children with all other types of cancer can avail of the Drugs Payment Scheme, which sees them paying a maximum limit of €144 per calendar month for approved prescribed medicines. But this is a big bill for many, particularly if parents have had to reduce their working hours, or leave work altogether, to look after a sick child.

These are just some of the many issues that the CCF is highlighting and the charity is currently gearing up for one of its busiest times of the year - the Light It Up Gold campaign, which runs throughout September. This is a worldwide campaign that aims to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

As part of the campaign, a number of buildings and structures nationwide will be lit up gold, including the Mansion House in Dublin, the Cork Opera House, the Dunbrody Famine Ship in Waterford and Belfast City Hall.

Three candlelit walks will also take place at 6.30pm on September 6 in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

"These walks and candlelit vigils serve to recognise and support the bravery of children undergoing treatment, honour the survivors and remember all the boys and girls who have tragically lost their young lives to this disease. Our walks will be led by the mayor in each city and will have music, song and child-friendly entertainment, while keeping in mind the serious reasons behind the event," Ms Smith said.

The CCF was only launched in February of this year. It received its charitable status in June. Those involved had initially come together to organise last year's Light It Up Gold campaign and after much positive feedback, they decided to formalise its structure in order to achieve specific goals. Everyone involved works on a voluntary basis.

"Last year when we worked on the Light It Up Gold campaign it became apparent that there was need for a national childhood cancer charity in Ireland. Most other countries have such a body.

"While there are many excellent charities providing services to children and families affected by childhood cancer, there is no overarching charity that can inform parents of all these services and of their entitlements, that can advocate on behalf of children affected by this disease and can work to raise awareness," Ms Smith told Irishhealth.com.

Ms Smith's own son, Dylan, who is now 12, was 10 when he was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour while on holiday in the US in the summer of 2012.

"He was operated on in the US and then received six weeks of proton radiation, which is not available in Ireland. He returned to Ireland in October 2012 and faced into gruelling chemotherapy treatment involving a stem cell transplant. He spent a lot of time in St John's Ward In Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin up to June 2013," Ms Smith explained.

However, he is ‘currently doing very well and is starting secondary school in a few weeks', she added.

For more information on the CCF and the Light It Up Gold campaign, click here. Meanwhile you can donate €4 to the charity by simply texting GOLD to 50300.