Increasing number of children are affected by the painful disease of cancer. It is children and families of the economically and socially marginalized groups who bear the brunt of the suffering from the disease that is not only preventable but also curable if treated early. Cancer in children is highly curable (In the western developed countries, survival rate for all pediatric cancers is around 80%), however, in India, the survival rates are estimated at less than 50%. This is primarily due to inadequate treatment, lack of awareness, poor treatment facilities, and the high cost of treatment. Many children do not get timely medical attention, follow-up or abandon treatment.
The Childhood Cancer Foundation aims at addressing this issue of cancer among the children by providing support in all four critical areas of Diagnosis, Treatment, Cure and Prevention.
Objectives
- Ensure that the child victims of cancer from the marginalized of groups get essential treatment (assistance for blood transfusion, bone marrow transplant, essential nutrients)
- Provide continuation of treatment and follow-up for child patients identified or treated under this program.
- Provide childcare/school support services for other siblings when adults attend to the child patients in the family.
- Study the prevalence and adequacy of health services (public and private – available in the urban and rural areas of the district to reach out to the child victim and build linkages with Oncology specialists in Mangalore region.
- Facilitate the provision of supportive benefits (material and psychological guidance and direction of care) and tap government schemes available to them to combat the disease.
- Undertake campaigns to facilitate early detection and treatment of cancer among the children.
- To build web/internet presence for collaborative interventions and social campaigns and to drive awareness of the cause.
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Accomplishments
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Established MoU with Oncology departments of three major hospitals in Mangalore to support children diagnosed with cancer
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Primary support for supply of chemo medications and medical supplies that are not covered by the government. We also assist with blood supply, providing travel and accommodation assistance for patients coming for chemotherapy and radiation treatments
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In addition to the direct assistance to patients, our support extends to immediate family members like assisting patients sibling for school, financial assistance for parents travel and accommodation, providing lost wages for child's patients who primarily are day laborers
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Regular follow-up with family members who often try to avoid returning to complete full treatment cycle. This has been most effective for children who have had better prognosis for cure
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Cancer awareness outreach programs - working to create support centers at local village community (Gram panchayat) level
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Research of the cause of cancer and identify the pattern of the decease from various geographies. Survey the rural areas and prepare a database of pediatric patients below poverty line(BPL)
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The Impact - Pediatric Patients at the Government Wenlock Hospital, Mangalore
We are teaming with Dr B Shantaram Baliga, Head of Regional Advanced Pediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) of the Government Wenlock Hospital, Mangalore and Dr. Ravi Kiran, Dept. of Oncology, to reach our services to the needy patients.
- The program has had a direct impact on the pediatric patients and is becoming popular in Mangalore.
- There has been zero mortality among children covered in the program during last year
- The number of children coming for treatment has significantly increased (instead of 2-3 beds occupancy, now the wards are filled with 12-15 pediatric patients).
- Children who have been admitted to NIMHANS Bangalore and other places are being brought by their parents to the oncology unit of Wenlock, Mangalore
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