LET’S BACK THE KIDZCAN INITIATIVE
KIDZCAN Zimbabwe’s initiative to launch the Orange Month campaign against child cancers needs our full support.
The launch, which coincided with the International Childhood Cancer Day held each year on February 14, was another good initiative in our collective fight against child cancers.
This fight can be won if we detect such cases early for effective management.
Children have a high chance of beating cancer, when detected early, according to medical experts.
Under the campaign, KidzCan Zimbabwe seeks to enlighten people so that they understand that kids can also get cancer.
In the past, many people in Zimbabwe didn’t believe that kids could be diagnosed with cancer.
Some people are only realising it now and, in some cases, when it is too late for any medical intervention to help save the children.
KidzCan executive director, Daniel McKenzie, has since outlined his roadmap and deployed his teams to encourage primary and nursery schools, companies and gyms to participate in this noble cause.
This is a huge step in the right direction as the campaign involves our children.
KidzCan is asking for, at least a dollar per person, to donate towards this noble cause. The money will be channelled towards the treatment of children with cancer or help families of the victims of child cancer.
This fight can be won if teachers are also enlightened on child cancer.
A recent report showed that Sub-Saharan Africa is facing a childhood cancer crisis.
“Annually, nearly 90 percent of the more than 100 000 children who develop cancer in sub-Saharan Africa die,” read the report.
“Additionally, the burden of paediatric cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is compounded by substantial population growth, which is rapidly increasing the number of patients.
“The causes of this staggering inequity are multi-factorial and include a paucity of paediatric cancer care expertise, inadequate paediatric medical facilities, and a general absence of childhood cancer awareness.
“Most children with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa are not diagnosed, and for those who are, their diagnosis is frequently too late. In addition to delayed diagnosis, treatment failures result from treatment abandonment, toxicities, and co-morbidities such as malnutrition.”
Being a national campaign, it can only succeed if we all play a part in this initiative. We all need to come on board because it is through the strength of our unity that we can really make a difference in this fight.
Children should also be equipped with the right knowledge about child cancers. The kids should grow up knowing about child cancers.
Parents should also be educated about proper diets for the children and what we need to do in the event that we suspect that our kids have child cancer.
Like any other fight involving children, as parents we have the biggest roles to play to ensure that it succeeds.
That is why we believe that we should all play our part and donate to KidzCan so that our children get proper medication when they get ill.
Families of patients with child cancers also need financial support.
For now, let’ s put our hands together and donate towards this noble cause.
As for transparency and accountability, we leave that to the KizCan management.