HAVE A HEART FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER:
CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA is once again calling on all South Africans to “Have a Heart for Children with Cancer” on 15 February 2018. International Childhood Cancer Day (ICC) is a global collaborative initiative to raise awareness of childhood cancer and to express support for children with cancer, survivors and their families.
In developed countries, childhood cancer has become largely curable with the overall survival rate reaching between 70% and 80% whereas in South Africa the rate is approximately 55%. CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA aims to improve this rate by creating awareness of the early warning signs of childhood cancer. Early detection of childhood cancer affords early diagnosis enabling a better chance of being cured and an increase in the survival rate.
In support of ICCD, CHOC is calling on schools, corporates and community groups to join our CHOC Celebrities and CHOC Ambassadors such Phumeza Mdabe, Jessica Nkosi, Romina Armellini, Anga Makubalo, Maurice Paige and Kenneth Nkosi in wearing blue with the ICCD badge or heart pin on 15 February. Blue pants, blue shirts, blue suits, blue dresses, blue ribbons, blue hearts, anything blue everywhere. It will all help in the effort to spread the message. In addition to wearing blue, buy a loved one a delicious heart-shaped chocolate or a trendy “have a heart for children with cancer badge” or heart pin for Valentine’s Day.
Visit the CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation website – www.choc.org.za – to purchase ICCD badges, chocolates and pins from a CHOC office near you or to find out about the early warning signs of childhood cancer. Knowing about these signs, and passing on your knowledge could well save a precious child’s life.
Support International Childhood Cancer Day – Thursday, February 15. Have a Heart for Children with Cancer. You can also watch the International Childhood Cancer Day video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzWjFdagVp4 and keep an eye on our social media pages: Facebook: CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA, Instagram: CHOCChildhoodSA and Twitter: CHOCFoundation.
According to the World Health Organisation, the incidence of childhood cancer globally is around 160,000 new cases each year. Fortunately, through the advances made in treatment, childhood cancer is largely curable. In developed countries like the US, UK and Japan, eight or nine out of ten kids survive to live productive and meaningful lives.
The survival rate in the UK, for example, has increased from 10% 40 years ago to 90% today. In contrast, the survival rate of the most common childhood cancers in South Africa is a poor 55%. This, however, is far better than other developing countries because our children, thankfully, can be referred to paediatric oncology units at state-funded academic hospitals. Unfortunately in many cases the cancer in most of the children referred is already in advanced stages, which significantly reduces the chances of survival.
Early detection can dramatically change this scenario. The South African Children’s Cancer Study Group (SACCSG) has developed a set of early warning signs for childhood cancer, which has been adopted by the International Society of Paediatric Oncology.
Leaflets detailing these early warning signs are available from CHOC as part of the organisations’ Awareness Programme, which includes training health care workers, traditional healers, and communities in detecting these vital early warning signs. To date CHOC has trained 21 229 people, which has led to a noticeable increase in referrals.
CHOC is the only organisation in South Africa that provides nationwide comprehensive support to children with cancer and life-threatening blood disorders – and their families!
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