End skin cancer for people with albinism in Uganda

Thanks to your generous support we have provided four skin clinics from January to March 2022 in the eastern Ugandan districts of Budaka, Bugweri, Butaleja and Kibuuku. During these clinics, just under 100 children and adults with albinism received thorough skin checks from our dermatologist Dr. Ngobi. Many people with moderate skin damage received cryotherapy to remove pre-cancerous lesions. Every person attending received three months’ supply of high sun protection factor sunscreen, a tube of lip protector and a wide-brimmed hat. These hats provide excellent protection for the face, ears and neck and also give much-needed shade for people’s eyes which are highly vulnerable to the sun’s UV rays. With your support we were also able to purchase a further 400 wide-brimmed hats for distribution at our clinics.

As mentioned in our previous report, when people with albinism attending our clinics have extensive skin cancer which cannot be treated with cryotherapy or minor surgical procedures, we do our best to provide the operations and follow-up treatment needed. Thanks to you we have been able to provide skin cancer surgery for two single mothers this quarter – Annette, a widow with six children, and Rose, a young woman with three children. Not only has this surgery saved these women’s lives, but it has also protected their nine children from a sad, uncertain future without them. We will ensure that Annette and Rose continue to receive high quality sunscreen and skin checks so that they remain cancer free.

While the incidence and severity of skin cancer among people with albinism is steadily reducing through our regular provision of sun protective resources, unfortunately further attendees with life-threatening cancer were identified during these clinics, including Gabriel, a 32-year old father of two.

We hope these reports are offering a glimpse into how your support is transforming the lives and prospects of people with albinism and their families in eastern Uganda. If you would like to donate to this work further, please note that from 2pm BST on 20^th July 2022, GlobalGiving’s Bonus Day will offer matching funds of between 30-50% for donations of $100 USD (about £82) and upwards. Together we can end skin cancer among people with albinism in Uganda.

Your generous donations through GlobalGiving are enabling Advantage Africa and our partner, the Source of the Nile Union of Persons with Albinism (SNUPA), to reach people with albinism in parts of Uganda where they’ve previously had no, or very limited, support to stay safe from skin cancer.

From October to December 2021, you enabled us to provide skin clinics in four eastern Ugandan districts to help 88 children and adults with albinism to protect themselves. Each person attending these clinics received a comprehensive skin check, provided by our dermatologist Dr. Ngobi, along with cryotherapy if needed to remove small pre-cancerous lesions. Many people had extensive damage to their skin and 56 per cent required cryotherapy. Following their check, each attendee received three months’ supply of high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. Your support enabled us to purchase 300 high quality wide-brimmed hats for distribution at these and future clinics.

When attendees at our clinics are identified with extensive skin cancer, we aim to support them as quickly as possible with surgery and follow-up care. With your help this quarter, we’ve been able to provide five young people with albinism (three women and two men) with urgent skin cancer surgery to save their lives.  

In line with our long-term aim of influencing local and national government policy, SNUPA precedes each skin clinic with a visit to the respective district authorities to explain the skincare needs of people with albinism, share powerful evidence and demonstrate how we can all work together towards a 'skin cancer free generation' in Uganda. For example, before the Butalejja District clinic supported through GlobalGiving, SNUPA’s Director Peter met with the area’s Chief Administrative Officer. This led to Butalejja’s local government chairperson hosting a radio talk show to encourage people with albinism to attend the clinic and care for their skin.  

As well as preventing and treating skin cancer, these clinics also help us to identify and offer practical support to people with albinism and their families facing extreme difficulties in meeting their basic needs. The privations of the extended COVID-19 lockdowns throughout 2021 have caused severe and ongoing challenges for the most marginalised families.

Thank you so much for partnering with us in this life-saving work which is bringing us ever closer to ending skin cancer for people with albinism in Uganda.