An NGO, Okapi Children Cancer Foundation, on Saturday in Abuja, embarked on massive awareness on children and babies living with cancer and the need to find succour to sufferers.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some children affected with the disease, their parents, friends, various medical associations and other stakeholders embarked on a five-kilometre walk within the metropolis to create more awareness on the disease.
The Founder of the foundation, Kemi Babatunde, said that the walk was to create awareness on childhood cancer, remember those who died, give hope to children and parents suffering from it, as well as gather more support to fight the disease.
Babatunde said “I found out that children as young as three years, 10 months or less are living with cancer. And most of these children come from middle or low class families with financial challenges as they couldn’t even afford to eat on a regular basis nor afford medical treatment for cancer.
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“ Our aim is to create more awareness because lots of people don’t know about the existence and severity of childhood cancer.
“ We provide the first level support for these children and their families. We give them both financial and emotional support to assist and encourage them toward managing the disease.
Babatunde, therefore, stressed the need for government, well meaning Nigerians and stakeholders to support children with cancer, as well as find lasting solution toward providing succour to sufferers.
“There is need for government intervention because there is presently no childhood cancer scheme in the country.
“There is also the need for awareness for people to assist.”
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Mrs Joy Adams, one of the participants at the walk, said she joined the walk in support of cancer patients, survivors and to remember her nephew who died as a result of leukemia (cancer of the blood.
“It is painful watching children go through so much pains and suffering, calling on mummy or any older person to make the pains go away, it is an experience one can never imagine.”
Similarly, Femi Matthew, who also participated in the walk, said he was motivated to join after he saw the information on a social media platform.
“ I didn’t know that children also have cancer, not until I visited the National Hospital Abuja and saw little children suffering from the disease.
“No matter how strong you think you are, you will feel down when you see such children.” (NAN)
