Children Living with Cancer Foundation (CLWCF) has revealed that about 5 percent of children who had been cured from cancer are more likely to suffer from disorder within five years after treatment.
Prof. Edamisan Temiye, a Haematology Oncologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, spoke at CLWCF’s Inaugural Lecture themed: “Empowering the Youth Warrior: Nurturing the Emotional Resilience, During Childhood Cancer Treatment,” lamented the lack of support for children suffering from cancer, urging well-meaning Nigerians to invest in humanity.
cancer is a genetic disorder that requires holistic care, also said if comprehensive attention could be given cancer in the country, 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, would be attainable.
CLWCF said if full attention could be given to cancer in the country, 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, would be reachable. Adding that cancer is a genetic condition that requires holistic therapy.
Temiye said: “Treating a child with cancer is huge. Those in the low and middle class are now unable to afford the cost of care. Some of these families go into debt, so society needs to support them physically, financially and socially.
“About 0.04 per cent of cancer occurs in children less than 14 years, all over the world. About 400,000 cancers are diagnosed every year in children worldwide. It is not as common in adult as children but the cancers in children grow very fast and they kill very fast.”
Also speaking, Founder of CLWCF, Dr Nneka Nwobbi, said: “We will have an art exhibition on the 24th for children both in the ward and outside the ward. We had art workshop in the ward for two weeks between 19th and 26th of August. We did artworks that will be exhibited on the 24th of September. Our last programme will be work-a-thon. We are going to work from LUTH to stadium and walk back.
“We are trying to set up a childhood cancer registry. To do this, we are working with LUTH and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. We are still looking for sponsors because all these things cost money and we need to be well-equipped. We are working hand-in-hand to get this registry ready as it will enable us collate how many children have cancer.”
