When Claudia first became involved with Write a Book in a Day, she wasn't just looking for a volunteer opportunity. She was looking for a way to help.
When her nephew, Nicholas, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just two years old, Claudia Clamer and her family were plunged into uncertainty.
Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour in children under five.
For Nicholas and his family, the diagnosis marked the start of a long, uncertain journey through major surgery, months of chemotherapy and radiation, bone marrow transfusions and immunotherapy, the final conventional treatment available to him at the time.
“It was actually really positive to put that anxious energy and nervousness into something that can help,” Claudia says.
As for many families facing childhood cancer, Claudia found herself searching for a way to make a difference. Through her connection with The Kids’ Cancer Project, she learnt about Write a Book in a Day and signed up as a volunteer reader, helping assess stories written by teams.
“It just sang to me,” she says.
With a communications background and having studied English literature at university, Claudia felt this was the perfect way to support Nicholas and kids just like him around Australia.
“It’s like, yes, this is how I can help organisations like The Kids’ Cancer Project. If it’s not for Nicholas, it’s for the kids that come after, so that research is continuing and treatments keep improving.”
More than a decade later, Claudia is still volunteering as a reader.
What keeps her coming back every year? The same reason she started back in 2015: the knowledge that every story written supports children and families facing cancer.
“The diagnosis is to the child, but it impacts the whole family,” she says.
"You're looking for ways to help these children and help these families; Write a Book in a Day is a way to do it."
For Claudia, participating in Write a Book in a Day provided a positive outlet, something greatly needed by families during treatment and uncertain times.
“How do you funnel this fear and anxiety and make it something positive?” she says.
“The enthusiasm in the children’s books and the creativity has kept me there. It’s just something very positive to be part of.”
Over the years, Claudia has seen the campaign grow into a nationwide movement. Her first year in 2015 saw 529 teams comprised of over 4,500 young and adult writers participate. A decade on, Write a Book in a Day saw its highest participation to date, with over 16,000 writers from 569 teams across Australia. The record-breaking $1.23 million raised in 2025 was equivalent to the cost of delivering at least five new clinical trials across Australia, giving up to 150 children access to cutting-edge therapies they otherwise couldn’t receive. Children like Nicholas.
The growth of the campaign is another reason that keeps Claudia coming back every year. And for her, those numbers represent something greater than just fundraising.
“You just see how much it’s grown over time and the number of entries. So many young people want to get involved and help other children,” she says.
"You don't need to be a professor of language or a bestselling author to participate, get behind it, and you get something really positive out of it.”
