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September is Yellow and Gold month for childhood cancer

September is Yellow and Gold month for childhood cancer

The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) with its network partners is encouraging everyone across the globe to ‘Go Gold’ during September in honour and memory of children with cancer.

The aim of the movement is to increase awareness and raise funds for those affected by childhood cancer, CEO of the Cancer Association (CAN), Rolf Hansen said.

According to Hansen, the complexity of diagnosing childhood forms of cancer remains a challenge.

“It is often infants who cannot speak or show where there is pain that is diagnosed with cancer and parents need to be aware of the signs and symptoms to present to the medical officer and help in the process,” explained Hansen.

CAN report that an average of 136 new childhood cancer cases per annum have been reported to the Namibian National Cancer Registry since 2013 and the same 5-year period between 2008 and 2012 saw only 80 cases per year reported on average.

The Cancer Association, through its Children, Fighting Cancer (CHICA) Namibia programme aims to create awareness of childhood cancers in the country, as well as support childhood cancer patients and their families. The most common childhood cancers are Rhetinoblastoma, Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Bone cancer.

Should one wish to make a donation to the CHICA Financial Fund or the CHICA Interim Home, please contact Martha or Barseba at [email protected].


 

About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.