Showing support for cancer this September
Currently, between 800 to a 1000 South African children are diagnosed with cancer annually.
September is marked and celebrated internationally as the childhood cancer awareness month and the City of Joburg is joining in the awareness.
In this year’s campaign, the City’s Health Department will be joining the world in commemorating Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, symbolized by wearing a gold ribbon.
Founded in 2010, by President Barack Obama, this annual international awareness month is aimed at raising support, funds and awareness of childhood cancers, as well as raise awareness on the impact suffered by those who have cancer and the pain faced by the families of sufferers of childhood cancer.
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“Access to health care is a constitutional right. It is for this reason that I believe we should put more effort in improving diagnosis, access to best treatment and care, as well as quality support for children with cancer and their families.
“Children can be more resilient to cancer and cancer treatments than adults, and there are many cases of triumph and complete recovery.
“Awareness, education and support are vital, which is why Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is also vital, thus I challenge all members of the community to go out and make a difference by donating as little as R20 and receive a gold ribbon to support a child with cancer,” said the MMC for Health and Social Development, Councillor Mpho Phalatse.
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According to the Child Cancer Association, 80% of all childhood cancer cases, globally, occur in low and middle-income countries and survival rates are as low as 10% in low-income countries compared to 80% in high-income countries.
This proves that there are gross inequities in health care that continue to persist between and within the countries of the world. Currently, between 800 to a 1 000 South African children are diagnosed with cancer annually, however, it’s estimated that half of the children with cancer in South Africa are misdiagnosed or never diagnosed.
Many children with cancer never get to a specialist hospital to receive care, treatment or pain relief, this is as a result of families having to spend long periods of time away from home and travelling great distances to hospital, continually being pushed further into poverty due to loss of income.
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