Physical Health Zimbabwe Project #10856

Save the lives of children with cancer in Zimbabwe

by Kidzcan Children's Cancer Relief

Save the lives of children with cancer in Zimbabwe

Project Report | Jul 7, 2020
Kidzcan Zimbabwe Covid-19 Update

By Daniel Mckenzie | Executive Director

COVID_19 Food distribution

Dear Kidzcan Family and Friends,

We hope that this email finds you all well and are adjusting to the new norm by keeping safe as your wellbeing is key to the survival of children suffering from cancer. If there is anything we can do in terms of offering psychosocial support to you and your employees please feel free to reach out to Kidzcan.

As the new Coronavirus is spreading around the world and having a dramatic impact on people, communities, and businesses around the world, our number one priority for Kidzcan is the health and safety of our little angels suffering from cancer and, those we assist us around the globe and the communities where we live and work.

We at Kidzcan are also concerned of your wellbeing as one of partners in the fight against cancer in Zimbabwe.

We have taken all possible measures to ensure our patients and staff well-being, including; restricting travel and face-to-face meetings, implementing a global work-from-home policy, and constantly monitoring the situation around the world. We have been assisting with the distribution of food hampers to all our patients in Harare. A whatsapp group has been created for parents to share support, information and give them hope. We are very fortunate that we managed to procure some drugs from India just before the lock down, however many patients are unable to travel to Harare due to the lockdown and travel restrictions.In the last weeks, we have seen in our community thatfollow-up appointments and control scans are postponed. Patients are switched to treatments that are less effective but have fewer side effects.

Some patients on forums do not recognise the need to self-isolate and feel that 'cancer was already enough to worry about' with a high level of anxiety and uncertainty. The rampant levels of incorrect or unhelpful information being spread every day are not making it easier for patients and their families.

I believe that it is on us as cancer patient advocates to act now. Cancer patients trust us because they know we care. We have large networks, numerous relationships and established communication channels within and outside the cancer community. We know how to educate patients. We have experience with healthcare systems, support structures and know how to find our way. We have seen what works in healthcare and what doesn't. We have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. The fact we are still here means that we believe that change is possible. But by now, we are realists and no longer naive. We have lost the fear to speak up, the fear to be seen that is holding back so many right now, a long time ago. And if there is something we as Kidzcan have understood then it will be that it is futile to wait for others to solve our problems.

It is on us to make sure that our communities are well-informed and supported. We need cancer patients to understand the need to self-protect. And we need to find ways to educate, support and to keep fake news at bay.

It is on us to push for protective measures for cancer patients to put in place in our country, to ensure patients have sufficient drug supply and to support our oncologists.

While cancer management will be affected short-term, cancer patients will still suffer when everyone has gone back to normal. We know that rationing in healthcare is real. The harder our societies are hit economically, the more we will struggle in cancer once everyone else has gone back to normal. So we should now support strategies limiting the impact of #COVID19 on our society. We need smart testing/ isolation/ social distancing strategies and effective policies and financial support.

And we should not forget that cancer patients are not the only patient group at particular risk. Other patient groups face similar issues, so it is time to reach out and to collaborate. While cancer is what we know best, that is no excuse not to care about others who face similar problems.

Today, we have a knowledge advantage over many others who are just waking up. We already know that one cannot only rely on 'the system' to solve all problems. So let's use your knowledge and networks, share learning’s and resources to not only keep cancer patients but everyone safe.

At the same time, we are not only victims, we are citizens of our country and members of our society, so we all need to do our bit to make sure everyone gets through this. So while we need cancer patients to protect themselves, we also need them to protect their communities, obviously in ways that do not put themselves at risk. Many small businesses do not have the necessary reserves to get through this crisis, so if we all want to go back to our local gyms, bakers, restaurants and hair dressers, we better find ways to support them now.

Let’s fight COVID19 and let's all get to work.

TOGETHER ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

Cancer never stops, doesn’t take a pause and

doesn’t take a stay at home order. My heart goes out to all these families’.

This is such a simple ask to get behind, when multiplied, can really make a difference.

Cancer doesn’t stop.

And above all: Be SAFE and hope to see you again soon Face to Face.

Thank you as always for the support to childhood cancers in Zimbabwe.

Donate now: #cancer does not wait

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Mar 16, 2020
KIDZCAN BUS FARE PROJECT

By Daniel Mckenzie | Executive Director

Mud run 2020

KIDZCANS BUS FARE PROGRAMME

Zimbabwe has over the years grappled with various challenges affecting the health delivery system in the country. Apart from challenges in drug availability, accessibility of the same, adequately capacitated health institutions and a motivated work force, there have been further challenges in the provision of transport for patients to present themselves to health facilities in the country. Apart from poor road network that militates against an improved transport system, the fares charged are very high, and that has seen many people failing to access health facilities, which are generally far away from where the majority of the people live.

Kidzcan Zimbabwe’s mandate is to raise awareness on childhood cancers, provide chemotherapy drugs, blood and blood products, psychosocial support, food packs and transport for the child and parent/guardian to enable them to come to the hospital as required. One of the challenges in combating childhood cancers has been the rise in defaulting patients, and often the major reason proffered has been that they did not have bus fare to come to the hospital. Choices have to be made at home on whether to use the little resources available as bus fare for one child needing a cycle of chemo or buying grain for a meal for all the children at a homestead. Usually the child who needs another round of chemo is sacrificed. Apart from this challenge, there are bigger structural issues around the bus fare matter. Cash is unavailable in banks and lately, the small window of using mobile money platforms faces severe challenges.

In order to enhance outcomes, Kidzcan desires to ensure that all the children we serve are able to make the necessary hospital visits as and when they have to. On a monthly basis, Kidzcan pays bus fare for 60 children with various types of cancers across provinces in Zimbabwe, each of whom comes at least once for a procedure at the hospital every month. Going forward the Kidzcan strategy on bus fares is now that all children and their caregivers receive bus fare to enable them to come for treatment, thereby removing the financial burden on parents who are already struggling just to put food on the table.

Part of the funds received from GlobalGiving will now be channelled towards making sure that every child has the opportunity to travel and seek medical cancer treatment. For this we are ever so grateful to all donors who continuously give to Kidzcan to help them fulfil their mandate of increasing the survival rate of children suffering from cancer in Zimbabwe.

Thank you as always.

#nochildshouldbeleftbehind

Mud run 2020 with the BEAST

Mud run 2020, my brothers keeper

Mud run 2020 , getting muddy for cancer

Drug purchase for the WARD

Links:

Attachments:

Funeral assistance (DOCX)

6 Attachments

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Dec 16, 2019
Childhood cancer situation in Zimbabwe

By Dannie Mckenzie | Executive Director

Raising school awareness on cancer

KIDZCAN ZIMBABWE UPDATE

Zimbabwe is currently grappling with a number of challenges, chief amongst which is the deteriorating health delivery system. Medical staff has gone on strike on a number of occasions leaving patients unattended, and for children with cancer it has been a heart rending experience. Chemo drugs are not only unavailable, but priced beyond the reach of many. Other requirements by the medical staff that make their work possible are generally not available in the public hospitals where most of the people in the country go to.

In the midst of all these challenges, Kidzcan has performed exceptionally well. Kidzcan raises awareness on child hood cancers in the country, and has this year partnered with UNICEF on awareness programme that covered 2 of the country’s 10 provinces. The organisation has also procured drugs for children with cancer at the country’s 2 referral hospitals but these have not been enough due to resource constraints. More funds are needed to enable Kidzcan to procure more drugs.

In order to deal with the challenge of abandonment, Kidzcan has had to scale up its role in the provision of bus fares to the children with cancer and their parents. With only 2 major hospitals attending to chemotherapy requirements in the country, this has meant that the distances that children cover in travelling to the hospitals is too long and therefore expensive. Most parents have had to choose between using the little they have for bus fare for one child or use it for food for the rest of the family. The choice has been very easy but disastrous for the affected children as the cancer would resurface with much vigour.

As 2020 comes in, Kidzcan will require a lot of resources to be able to provide the much needed support. A Half Way Home is required in order to ensure that children that are often prematurely discharged from the hospital are confined to avoid infection. More funds are needed for drugs, awareness campaigns, bus fares and other psychosocial support services in this New Year. With the support of well wishers, this dream will be achieved.

#nochildshouldbeleftbehind

MERY CHRISTMAS FROM TEAM KIDZCAN AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DONATIONS AND HELP IN 2019.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

10 years of assisting childhood cancer in Zimbabwe

Riding for Cancer

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