Take these steps to ensuring your child’s well-being
JOBURG – Although childhood cancer is rare in children, more and more are being diagnosed.
Childhood Cancer Foundation SA (CHOC) is calling on all South Africans to start recognising the early warning signs of childhood cancer.
Although the illness is rare in children, more and more are being diagnosed. A reality in South Africa is that children are not being diagnosed early enough to beat the illness. According to CHOC, one in 408 children worldwide will be diagnosed with some type of cancer before they reach 15.
CHOC started a workshop initiative back in 2011 and this year they want to make it a trend. Mama Brenda Herbert, a cancer survivor herself and who has been with the organisation for over 20 years, is heading these workshops.
Using the acronym SILUAN to get the message across, Herbert explained to us how it came about. “One of our doctors from Baragwanath Hospital, Dr Stelios who is Greek, was on a sabbatical and took a trip to Greece. While there, he saw St Siluan’s tombstone and he thought to himself that he can actually use it as an acronym to remember childhood cancer warning signs and that’s where it started,” said Herbert
SILUAN stands for:
- Seek
- I (E)ye
- Lump
- Unexplained
- Aching
- Neurological
In an interactive workshop at Joe Public in Bryanston last week, Herbert mentioned the importance of picking up these signs early.
“I used to look at this one girl and wondered what is her future and she actually said to me, ‘Mama Brenda I’m going to miss my future’ and I just cried. She was a beautiful child of 16 and she knew.
“For me these signs are something that can help children, we can cure children.”
She mentioned that one should make it a habit to do regular checks on kids.
Business development manager Linda Moore explained that South Africa does have the technology and infrastructure to reach a high survival rate but the lack of knowledge is holding it back. “The workshops began a few years ago. We started training health professionals throughout the country including traditional health professionals and all the practitioners.
“We do wellness days, corporates and even in schools can give us a call and we’ll visit them for a talk.”
Moore also said that the more people who learn about the early warning signs will result in more children surviving. CHOC’s footprint reaches a national level with treatment centres in major provinces.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/227774/bryanston-primary-learners-host-cup-4-cancer-to-help-raise-money-for-choc/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/218120/international-childhood-cancer-day-iccd-set-fight-survival-rates/
