Meet Belinda
Belinda is a teacher on the children’s cancer ward at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Ghana. While it’s not always easy to see how sick some of the children are, Belinda finds happiness in their excitement for learning.
It can be very hard to see the suffering of some of these children but many those who are feeling especially unwell still want to go to school and that makes me really happy to see.
Belinda has greatly benefited from the training she has received at KBTH and has learned new ways of teaching children with cancer, who are may too sick to leave their beds and require bedside teaching, or who may be emotionally exhausted. Belinda says:
Teaching children with cancer can be a bit different. Here you really have to follow the sickness and go at their pace.
As Belinda doesn’t have to follow a tight schedule like she would in a typical school, she is sometimes able to stay longer at the hospital and be more attentive to the needs of her students. She is especially happy to see the children emotionally thrive as a result of their education
It is a really rewarding job. One child I taught had never been to school before, but during his one-on-one writing lessons, he ended up writing 50 lines!
For children with cancer who face extensive hospital stays, education helps them both take their mind off of their sickness and build social skills by learning and playing with other children. At KBTH in particular, World Child Cancer recently embarked on a new project to improve the hospital school at KBTH, which included training for the staff to ensure they are able to support the needs of children with cancer effectively. By supporting teachers like Belinda, World Child Cancer works to ensure children with cancer have a life after cancer. It is only thanks to you that we are able to ensure more children with cancer, even if they are hospitalized, do not fall behind in their education and are well-prepared for healthy childhoods after treatment.
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Naa’s Story
We first met Naa in 2016 when she was diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumour at 7 years old. In 2021 the cancer returned and Naa underwent treatment again. She has battled cancer twice and is now back in school.
Read moreJoseph’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.
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Five years after developing cancer and two years of treatment later, six-year-old Tiwo is doing well
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Rebecca is now able to return to school after undergoing cancer treatment through World Child Cancer in Ghana
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Prince went on to become a childhood cancer advocate and help many other children just like him when he recovered from leukaemia. Read More
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