Sailun continues its pledge to World Child Cancer – an organisation working to support children with cancer in the low and middle-income world – with a 50,000 Euro donation. With the global spread of the novel coronavirus there is enormous pressure on already fragile health systems. Sailun and World Child Cancer continue to work together to ensure that children with cancer and their families have access to the treatment and support they need.
This year marks Sailun’s 5thyear supporting World Child Cancer as the transportation partner, alleviating the financial burden for families of children with cancer. Support with transport is vital for two reasons: Firstly, it dramatically increases the likelihood of a child completing their cancer treatment. Many families are unable to cover the costs of transportation to obtain the treatment they so desperately require and end up having no choice but to abandon treatment. Secondly, this allows doctors to visit and effectively follow up on patients living in rural locations who may not be able to travel several hours to the city for their follow-ups. These aspects are what make transportation such a key aspect for helping these children and families.
About World Child Cancer
World Child Cancer’s early years focused efforts and resources on improving the quality of treatment on the wards – supporting many great doctors, nurses and healthcare staff in the heroic efforts they make every day. That remains a crucial area, but slowly the scope of their work has expanded to running initiatives that provide formal training for more paediatric oncologists and specialist nurses, and to find new and better ways to support the families of children with cancer who struggle so hard to cope and to get their children treatment.
There is often little or no funding for childhood cancer care from local sources, so families are faced with huge medical bills. This is a significant barrier to a child starting treatment. Many children are unable to complete their treatment either, as it is often long and expensive, placing a burden on the wider family. With specialist centres usually situated in the capital, many families have to travel long distances and live away from their homes whilst their child is being treated. They lose their livelihoods or suffer a significant drop in income, pushing them further into poverty. World Child Cancer’s work includes a range of support services for families including investments in family accommodation at the hospital, subsidising medical and travel costs, and providing training and support to help parents earn a living whilst away from home.
WCC in 2020
Over the past 10 years, World Child Cancer has reached more than 34,000 children, reaching 8,808 children alone in 2019. Work for the organization has also started in Vietnam for the first time, as well as a new programme at the beginning of 2020 in Nepal. In the centre of excellence for paediatric oncology at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana and with the excellent support of UBS Optimus Foundation, World Child Cancer will train doctors and nurses from a number of West African countries.
The start of 2020 has brought with it many challenges, most notably the global coronavirus pandemic, but World Child Cancer placed mitigations at the beginning of 2020 to try and minimise the disruption this will cause to their work and fundraising. Nevertheless, the impact of the Coronavirus has caused a devastating shortfall for the organization.
If you are looking to help children with cancer around the world, then please visit www.worldchildcancer.org to learn more and make a donation. Medical care workers on the frontlines are battling to continue treatments for current patients and new patients affected by the Coronavirus, meaning they need help now more than ever. Since March, World Child Cancer have increased direct support for families of children with cancer by funding essential cancer drugs and, with support from Sailun, transport to hospital.
The charity has also worked to secure accommodation next to the hospitals for parents and children who can no longer travel because of lock downs – it is essential that they stay in treatment if they are to survive. Provision of food is another vital need and World Child Cancer has worked to reduce the need for families to go out to purchase it and risk bringing back infection. They have also helped increase hygiene on the wards and purchased personal protective equipment (PPE) for the health workers looking after the children in partner hospitals in Malawi, Cameroon, Ghana, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
“It is our hope that this donation helps to support World Child Cancer’s main cause, as well as alleviate the struggles their foundation has seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their cause is a worthwhile endeavor and we understand the struggles they could be facing during such a troubling time.” Gareth Passmore, VP of Sailun Europe.
As a citizen of the world, Sailun understands that it has a responsibility to give back and help communities around the world, which is why Sailun Tyre is committed to providing support to organizations such as World Child Cancer. Their work helps to bring the support and happiness to families when they need it most.
