GEKA supports CHICA programme
Geka Pharmaceuticals today donated N$120 000 to the CHICA (Children Fighting Cancer) programme of the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN). The donation is earmarked for the CHICA Interim Home where children undergoing treatment in Windhoek, often stay up to six weeks at a time with a parent or guardian.Managing Director of Geka Pharma Nardia Coetzee reiterated the importance of childhood cancer awareness and support to families affected. “This house and programme supports so many families in need and through our contribution we can assist CAN to help these families in need.”
Childhood cancer refers to the diagnosis of cancer in individuals under the age of 18. The most common types of childhood cancers include leukaemia, brain cancers, lymphomas, and solid tumours, such as neuroblastoma and Wilms tumours.
Pressing issue
Childhood cancer remains a pressing issue worldwide, affecting young lives and families everywhere. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), each year, an estimated 400 000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and it remains one of the leading causes of death among children aged 1 to 14.
Namibia also experiences its share of childhood cancer cases. Statistics reveal that approximately 250 children are diagnosed with cancer in Namibia each year. These young fighters and their families endure physical, emotional and financial challenges as they battle this disease. The CHICA programme was established by CAN to address this challenge.
Today, the CHICA Interim Home is a beacon of hope for families fighting childhood cancer, opening its doors to a parent and brave little patient receiving treatment in Windhoek. The CHICA Fund supports paediatric oncology patients financially and assists with funeral costs of financially vulnerable patients who have lost the battle with cancer.
The Ward 8 West Paediatric Oncology Unit and Windhoek Central Hospital is another ongoing support project that the fund supports.
In Namibia, the most common cancers in children are leukaemia (cancers of the blood), retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye), nephroblastoma (kidney cancer), brain tumours and lymphomas (cancer of the lymphatic system of the body involving immune cells where a group of blood and lymph tumours develop from lymphocytes).
Signs and symptoms
Childhood cancer cannot generally be prevented or identified through screening, thus recognising the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer is crucial for early diagnosis and effective treatment.
Common signs include unexplained weight loss, persistent pain, fatigue, and changes in the appearance of the eyes. If parents or caregivers notice any unusual or persistent symptoms in their children, it's important to consult a medical professional promptly.
Most childhood cancers can be cured with generic medicines and other forms of treatment, including surgery and radiotherapy.
Avoidable deaths from childhood cancers in LMICs result from lack of diagnosis, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, obstacles to accessing care, abandonment of treatment, death from toxicity, and relapse.