Childhood Cancer Treatment : 80 Per cent Success Rate Is Attainable!

To mark this year's Cancer Month, Mori’s Child, a humanitarian association that assists children suffering from cancers, and the National Committee for the Fight Against Cancer, held an awareness walk in the streets of Yaounde on Saturday, September 23, 2023. “Early diagnosis of childhood cancer facilitates effective treatment in reference centres. For now, there are only three such centres in Cameroon – the Chantal Biya Foundation, Yaounde; Mbingo Baptist Hospital, Boyo Division in North West Region; and the Protestant Hospital, Ngaoubela, Tibati in Djerem Division, Adamawa Region,” explained Ruth Grace Ngo Nyobe, Chair and Founder of Mori’s Child.
“Cameroon records 1,000 cases of paediatric cancers each year. Worldwide, 400,000 children are diagnosed each year with cancers…Early diagnosis of childhood cancer produces a treatment success rate of 80 per cent in Developing Countries. We would like to replicate this in Cameroon,” said Dr Justine Essono, Deputy Permanent Secretary, National Committee for the Fight Against Cancer. 
“If you suspect anything, especially recurrent fevers and sicknesses, don’t hesitate to see the doctor. Early diagnosis is important…We have medication and specialists for childhood cancers. We are always saddened to see children brought to us already in advanced stages of their sickness,” Dr Essono said in a tone of regret. 
“I do my utmost to put smiles on the faces of children suffering from cancer. Back in our neighbourhoods, many still view childhood cancer as a myth, a taboo. But this is not the case. These cancers indeed exist and are treated in Cameroon. The objective of Mori’s Child is to assist children suffering from cancers and their families. We lay emphasis on improving the lives of childhood cancer victims during treatment. Remain vigilant and beware of relapses in your children,” Ngo Nyobe counselled.
“It all started like any other illness. I underwent several tests to finally determine that I was suffering from lymphatic cancer. Which was done in the Chantal Biya Foundation. Thank God, I was successfully treated! It is my moral responsibility to sensitize the public on cancer because it is still considered a taboo in our society. Cancer is a sickness like all others. It kills like other diseases. Without the right information, people cannot go for the right treatment. Reason why there are so many deaths from cancer,” said...