Boost for children’s cancer programme

Barbados has been making progress in saving the lives of children diagnosed with cancer.

This morning, as she accepted a BDS$500 cheque from the Lions Club of St Michael, on Pediatric Cancer Day, President of the BCS, Dr Dorothy Cooke-Johnson, said enhanced treatment options, and the hard work and dedication of doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), have resulted in an improvement in the island’s paediatric cancer care.

The president said while several children are diagnosed with cancers, there has been about seven pediatric cancer-related deaths per year.

“I think they are doing very well with leukemia and so on now because the treatment is much better, and they are finding it earlier and dealing with it. But there are still tragedies and sometimes the doctors just try their best to do all they can.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline Skeete, who heads the society’s client services and welfare programme said at times they are called upon to assist in meeting the basic needs of pediatric cancer patients.

Skeete said help is especially given to single parents who are unable to work because they have to stay with their children when they are hospitalized.

“And in some cases, they live in the hospital to stay with them during the time of treatment or chemotherapy. So in that case, we certainly support their needs. It may be medication, or it may be something as simple as pampers and other sleepwear, or meals while they are in hospital,” Skeete said.

Chairperson of the Lion’s Club’s service activity programme, Margaret Farley, said the club was happy to make the donation to assist children battling cancer.