By LeAnn Fickes | Operations & Development Manager
Hello friends,
We'd like to thank you for your support and give you an update on our progress. We are really pleased to report that our project in the Philippines continues to make progress and more and more children are receiving treatment for cancer. To date, you've helped us raise almost $2,000, which is enough to buy life-saving chemotherapy drugs for 25 children. Thank you!
This month, the Mindanao Pediatric Children's Cancer Network celebrated five years of treating children with cancer. In 2008, less than 20% of children with cancer survived. Currently, the one-year survival rate is almost 70% for the most easily treatable cancers. This progress is due to our wonderful project lead Dr. Mae Dolendo, local medics, international hospitals and volunteer specialists, and to supporters like you.
There are now four satellite centers around the island and a fifth is scheduled to open in Butan. Satellite centers are important to reduce abandonment of treatment; we've found when children are able to receive treatment closer to home they're more likely to complete treatment and survive. Each site has a childhood cancer database, bi-annual trainings for medics, community education campaigns to improve early diagnosis, and support groups. The Ambassadors of Hope, a local support group based in Davao, leads local fundraising and provides resources to children and their families.
Your support is helping children like Alexander receive life-saving cancer treatment. Four-year-old Alexander was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor at one of our satellite sites, St. Elizabeth Hospital, in General Santos City. Alexander lives nearby and was able to receive treatment close to home. Alexander has now completed a year-long course of chemotherapy treatment and is doing very well, thanks to your generosity.
THANK YOU once again for partnering with us and allowing us to continue to help children in the Philippines. Please contact me at leann.fickes@worldchildcancer.us if you have any questions or would like more information - we're always happy to hear from you.
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