‘Stronger effort needed to combat childhood cancer’

Jawaher calls for access to diagnosis and cure in poor nations

There is a need to toughen international efforts to combat childhood cancer around the world, said Shaikha Jawaher Bint Mohammad Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Shaikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Speaking during a commanding keynote recently delivered at the 50th Annual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in Japan, Shaikha Jawaher called for the need to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and cure, especially in developing and underdeveloped nations.

Stating that child patients are humanity’s biggest responsibility, Shaikha Jawaher, who is the Founder and Royal Patron of Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP), International Ambassador of the World Cancer Declaration for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC, stressed that the world requires more medical breakthroughs in the successful treatment of paediatric cancer and other incurable diseases.

Shaikha Jawaher urged developed nations with advanced health care systems to adopt a tougher approach and stronger commitment to ensuring that children and adolescents with cancer receive the best treatment and care wherever they may be, especially in low- and middle-income countries where the majority of them live, and cancer survival rate among them is as low as 20 per cent compared to 80 per cent in high-income countries.

Addressing Childhood Cancer International (CCI)’s global network of 188 member organisations representing 96 countries, she added that human justice requires that every child in the world with cancer receives equal treatment and care.

The Childhood Cancer International honoured Shaikha Jawaher in recognition of her efforts in the fight against childhood cancer around the world.