Improve cancer care for 250 children in Malawi

Dear Global Giving Donors

I am writing to say a huge thank you to those of you who donated to our child cancer project in Malawi at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital during our Gateway Challenge over the summer.  We really appreciate your support and are delighted to have a permanent spot on the GlobalGiving website.    I'd like to update you on progress since June.  

As you may remember, the project is aiming to improve survival rates for easily treatable child cancers - Burkitts lymphoma and Wilms tumour.  The Project Leader, Professor Liz Molyneux, has reported that over the last three months approximately 55 children have been diagnosed and 80% of these patients have received curative treatment.  Sadly, some children are still diagnosed too late for effective treatment due to lack of awareness of child cancer but these children receive palliative care to ease their suffering.  

Survival rates are measured on 12 month event free survival so full statistical data will not be available until September 2012.  However, ancedotal evidence indicates that survival rates of around 60% for Burkitts lymphoma patients and around 40% of Wilms tumour patients are anticipated. 

Liz Molyneux, her team, her patients and their families are all enormously grateful to you for your donation.  Your support has funded the purchase of drugs - both curative and palliative, nursing care, food for patients and an awareness campaign - all of which are contributing to making a significant and sustainable improvement in the care and treatment of children with cancer in southern Malawi. 

Thanks again for supporting our work.

Links:

• http://www.worldchildcancer.org