Buy an Ambulance 4 Children with Cancer (Zimbabwe)

Children with cancer in Zimbabwe are still presenting late for treatment. Due to the stigma of cancer as a death sentence parents are still "hidding" their children at home until its too late. They are too shy to travl on public transport,less they obceen comme ts from other passengers, on the stae on their children.Kidzcan will however be running a campaign on Early detection of cancers soon to encourage parents to have their children screened for cance.

An ambulance would alleviate this problem of stigma and bring the children early for treatment.

Kidzcan is therefore seeking assistance with an Ambulance in assisting the treatment of cancer for children in Zimbabwe. It should be noted, therefore that the cancer patients and their families travel long distances for services mostly in inappropriate means of transportation such as public transport with no provisions for the very ill patients. This causes delay in the referrals with patients arriving in advance stages of illnesses. Hence the need for an Ambulance is paramount. Often children need to be moved from one hospital to another  for further specialised treatment, but no transport is provided for them. Parents then find themselves with a burden of having to find private transport to ferry their children as there is a stigma on children with cancer, especially if it is at an advanced stage. Some parents go to the extent of abandoning treatment due to lack of dedicated transport for cancer patients. Hence an ambulance would be of great service to children suffering from cancer. Although Kidzcans provides patients with transport fares, not all come for treatment. This falls far too short from easing transportation burden on the patients and the conditions associated with their long journey to the only centre that provides hope to the cancer patients and their families 

Help remove the stigma of cancer as a death sentence. For children with cancer if detected early can survive.

Global Giving Ambulance Report

 Kidzcan Zimbabwe as a Humanitarian Childhood Cancer NGO continues to strive to reduce the mortality rate of children suffering from cancer in Zimbabwe. In 2018, however, more children with cancer continue to present late at health facilities. Despite all challenges Kidzcan continues to support the children with lifesaving drugs, blood and blood products, diagnostics, nutritional packs and bus fares.

Due to the lack of an Ambulance we continue to provide bus fares for children and their caregivers to come for follow treatment and check-ups .The fact that there is a stigma attached to cancer and the embarrassment parents might feel when travelling with their children suffering from cancer, Kidzcan collects prescriptions from referral centres on behalf of parents. The medicine is then delivered back to them once data has been collected at the Kidzcan office and then sent to the pharmacy, who then dispense the drugs.

Children having to travel long distances to referral hospitals, we are losing a lot of children as defaulters, due to parents being unable to pay for transport costs. 80% of the children who come for treatment travel an average of 500km to reach cancer services in Zimbabwe.

Hence an Ambulance is much needed, especially in faring children from one centre to another.

 Currently we are using a Land rover donated by Premier Autos six years ago, to transport some patients and for collecting and delivering medications.

 Our new Nurse at Kidzcan Sr Charity assisted by our intern Rutendo have now also began Case Management and Follow Ups, as of the 1^st of January. They ensure that every child is reminded to come for their review and treatment and make sure they have transport fares, if not we send it to them via mobile money transfer. We soon will introduce a mobile application that will automatically send them messages counting down days to their review date as a reminder.

 Know that every contribution you make is gratefully appreciated. Your support is giving hope to children who would not have this real chance to survive.

Links:

• https://www.herald.co.zw/kidzcan-rolls-out-child-cancer-awareness-campaign/