Africa: Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba will lead women medical specialists during the children’s cancer awareness campaign to be held at Tshilidzini Hospital in the Vhembe District under the theme: “Children our future“. This is part of the Women’s month celebration and the 2nd anniversary of the Rural Health Matters outreach program.
The campaign is intended to spotlight the types of cancer that largely affect children and to draw attention to survivorship issues. Cancer is a leading cause of death, especially in children and adolescents.Â
Every year, an estimated 400 000 children and adolescents of 09-19 years old develop cancer, of which the most common type include leukaemia, brain cancers, lymphomas and solid tumours, such as neuroblastoma and Wilma tumours.
“While we work to raise awareness of childhood cancer all year round, this time around, we want to increase this awareness as well as the work we do to support children with cancer and their families. Childhood cancers can be healed with generic medicines and other forms of treatment, including surgery and radiotherapy, and we want to use this awareness to reach as many parents as possible and ensure that child care services are accessible. We are grateful to have the Paediatric specialists and Champions Paediatric Oncology group supporting this initiative”, said MEC Ramathuba.
