Thank you for gathering as a village with us to improve childhood cancer survival in Ghana
Together, we raised over £790,000, including £390,086 of match funding from the UK Government to create a world where every child with cancer has equal access to treatment and care.
While the childhood cancer survival rate in high-income countries such as the UK is around 80%, in Ghana it is estimated that less than 30% of children who develop cancer will survive.
Through the collective energies of our fantastic supporters and the public, we will be launching a new project called ‘It Takes A Village To Save A Child’ which will be delivered over three years from 2023. This project has the goal of improving the survival and quality of life of children with cancer in Ghana.
Through UK Aid Match, for every £1 donated to the appeal by an individual living in the UK, the UK government match funded to support World Child Cancer’s project in Ghana – bringing the total amount raised to £797,022, including £390,086 of match funding from the UK government.
Since our programme began in Ghana, the number of children diagnosed with cancer each year has quadrupled, from 100 to 400 a year. Survival has increased for those who reach treatment; from 20% in 2010 to 65% for common childhood cancers. We will be training more healthcare professionals, providing families with financial and emotional support, and improving the nutrition of children undergoing cancer treatment, which is important to improve their health outcomes and build on the achievements made so far.
A multi-faceted approach will be taken including training staff and community members; and improving equitable access to treatment through funding drugs, transport to hospital etc.. This will increase access and quality of care for an estimated 2,394 children over the next three years, and many more in the future. We will train 500 healthcare staff on Early Warning Signs and Symptoms (EWSS) of childhood cancer and appropriate referral routes, and train 15 healthcare staff to become trainers themselves. This will enable the provision of further healthcare training and knowledge, such as the acquisition of skills in childhood cancer diagnosis, management, and care.
The project will also focus on raising awareness of childhood cancer. This will increase the number of referrals, meaning that children will be able to get the treatment they so desperately need. It is important to address the barriers that prevent children to access, and remain in, cancer treatment. This project aims to do so through increasing the capacity of local healthcare centres in disadvantaged regions, so that children can receive diagnosis, basic treatment, and a follow-up closer to where they live.
As has been demonstrated in World Child Cancer’s other programmes in countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh, families who are better able to access paediatric oncology treatment and support services will be less likely to abandon their child’s treatment. This will increase the child’s chance of a happy, healthy future.
Thanks to supporters like you, this project will strengthen the development of treatment and care closer to people’s homes throughout Ghana, improving access to childhood cancer treatment and care, and increasing childhood cancer survival rates in the long term.
Public donations and the UK Government continue to fund other programmes in low- and middle-income countries around the world, so that we can create a world where every child with cancer has equal access to treatment and care.
Joseph’s update
We first met Joseph in 2019 after he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Find out more how he is doing after his successful treatment.
Read moreKayin’s story
Kayin was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. He is now working as a carpenter and is feeling happy and strong.
Read moreRebecca’s Update
Read more about our catch-up with Rebecca after undergoing cancer treatment through World Child Cancer in Ghana six years ago.
Read moreHassan’s story
14-year-old Hassan from the Machinga district of Malawi was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) last year.
Read moreTiwo’s story
Five years after developing cancer and two years of treatment later, six-year-old Tiwo is doing well
Read moreFranklyn’s Story
Meet Franklyn, now 17, who is fully recovered from cancer and dreams of becoming a doctor to help others
Read moreDiscover More Stories…
Joseph’s update
We first met Joseph in 2019 after he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Find out more how he is doing after his successful treatment.
Read moreKayin’s story
Kayin was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. He is now working as a carpenter and is feeling happy and strong.
Read moreRebecca’s Update
Read more about our catch-up with Rebecca after undergoing cancer treatment through World Child Cancer in Ghana six years ago.
Read moreHassan’s story
14-year-old Hassan from the Machinga district of Malawi was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) last year.
Read moreTiwo’s story
Five years after developing cancer and two years of treatment later, six-year-old Tiwo is doing well
Read moreFranklyn’s Story
Meet Franklyn, now 17, who is fully recovered from cancer and dreams of becoming a doctor to help others
Read moreRebecca’s Success Story
Rebecca is now able to return to school after undergoing cancer treatment through World Child Cancer in Ghana
Read moreMy road to recovery
Prince went on to become a childhood cancer advocate and help many other children just like him when he recovered from leukaemia. Read More
Read moreEstaphanie is excited to start university!
Meet Estaphanie, who is excited to start university after being forced to take time out of school following a cancer diagnosis
Read moreMeet Bulu
Bulu is looking forward to following in his brother’s footsteps getting back on the football field
Read moreMeet Oscar
Oscar was six years old when his mother noticed a swelling on his tummy and took him to a traditional village doctor
Read more