Childhood Cancer Message on the School-Front

KidzCan Zimbabwe recently visited Greystone Academy, a school in the North of Borrowdale, Harare, with an enrolment of 40 on their well-organized cancer day.

We looked on, impressed with students taking a leading role in sharing creative cancer awareness presentations, and even making use of videos to share a more comprehensive story about cancer.

Following the presentations, KidzCan Zimbabwe Nurse and Health Coordinator Charity Kawadza took an opportunity to explain to the students the work of KidzCan Zimbabwe, highlighting that KidzCan is annon -governmental Organisation (NGO) that provides Cancer relief to children from 0-18 years.

On top of that, she also condemned cancer stigma in the schoolyard, which often manifests itself as mocking of patients and is largely a consequence of a lack of knowledge of the disease.

“Stop bullying, name-calling, and the stigma, support your friends.

“The bandana helps in covering the head, because one of the side effects of chemotherapy is the falling off of hair.”

So when you wear it you are showing solidarity,” said Kawadza.

Kawadza also shared the calendar of KidzCan starting with the Mudrun in January, Orange Month in February, Survivors month in June, and September Childhood Awareness month.

In addition to these main activities, KidzCan also attends a multiplicity of events dotted across the year.

She implored the students to support childhood cancer and help whenever there is need.

Concluding, Kawadza commended the young form 2 student who came up with the idea of inviting KidzCan to the cancer day which ended with a donation of cash and a bag of groceries.

Through such support, KidzCan Zimbabwe can help children suffering from cancer by offering bus fares, admission packs, diagnostic imaging, chemotherapy drugs, psychosocial support, and nutritional support.

There is hope that such events can augment efforts towards raising awareness and bumping up the childhood cancer survival rate to 60% by 2030 as envisioned in the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Global Initiative on Childhood Cancer (GICC).