Cancer care for 100 children in the Philippines

Dear friends,

Happy holidays! Thank you for your continuing to support our project to help kids with cancer on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Thanks to your contributions, the project continues to grow and we’d like to update you on our progress.

The number of children with cancer helped in Davao has increased this year. Dr. Mae Dolendo’s unit at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) has seen an increase in the annual number of new cases of childhood cancer from 164 patients in 2014 to 183 patients this year. The increase is due to Dr. Mae and her team’s efforts to raise awareness of childhood cancer and increase access to diagnosis and treatment.

Ultimately, this project aims to increase survival rates among children with cancer in Mindanao. Every child who dies of cancer is an irreplaceable contributor to the future of the Philippines. Healthy children and adolescents contribute to productive and sustainable communities.

Significant gains have been made in the following areas:

• Physical facilities have been established at three satellites, in addition to the hub hospital, SPMC. This month, the Butuan satellite center is undergoing renovations to the pediatric oncology unit. Also, A new day therapy center has been opened in satellite center Cagayan de Oro and air conditioning units are being funded locally to improve the working conditions in the pediatric unit.
• Dedicated, multidisciplinary childhood cancer teams have been identified, trained and supported at each site.
• Referral systems are in place and are constantly revised.
• A vehicle is being maintained for transport of patients and staff.
• Family support accommodation, the House of Hope, is maintained at two sites.
• Public awareness campaigns received public support and government attention.
• A childhood cancer database is regularly updated at each site.
• A palliative care unit has been established at SPMC.

While we've made great progress this year, there's still more to do. The increased number of children treated at the SPMC and the addition of the Butuan City satellite Center require more support. Can you please help us by forwarding our project page to your friends and family this holiday season? Together, we can make 2016 even more successful and reach more children with cancer.

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. Happy holidays!

Best wishes,

World Child Cancer USA Team