Over 1,000 people from all over the country attended a candle lit walk in Dublin at the weekend to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

The event marked the launch of the Light It Up Gold (LIUG) Ireland campaign, which aims to raise awareness both nationally and internationally of the issue of childhood cancer.

LIUG is made up of parents who have children who are being, or have been treated, in St John's Ward in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin. This is the main cancer ward for children in the country.

LIUG was started in the US by Tony Stoddard, whose five-year-old son died of cancer in early 2012. The movement has now spread worldwide and this month, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, famous buildings and landmarks around the world will be lit up gold, including in Ireland this week - the Dublin Convention Centre, The O2, Trim Castle, Eyre Square Monument in Galway and the Great Hall in Stormont.

According to Aoife Clarke of the LIUG campaign, while childhood cancer is rare, ‘sometimes that rarity is perceived as non-existent, but it does exist'.

In fact, in 2010 alone, almost 240 new cases of cancer in children were diagnosed - this is an average of four families per week being given this devastating diagnosis.

Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children in Ireland, with around 34 children dying every year. One in five children with the disease dies within five years of the diagnosis.

"Our campaign is to raise awareness of its existence. Through this awareness we will hopefully create funding to help provide better facilities and treatments to give our children a better future," Ms Clarke explained.

St John's Ward is currently being upgraded, but this is being funded entirely through public donations and a further €2million is required to complete the work.

For more information on LIUG, click here

See also our feature on one family's experience of childhood cancer here