TDCF, VisionScape Partner against Childhood Cancer

Ayodeji Ake

To rescue children from cancer, The Dorcas Cancer Foundation (TDCF) and a sanitation company, Visionscape has collaborated to foot treatment of children living with cancer while creating more awareness on early detection.

The Founder, TDCF, Dr. Adedayo Joseph, who stated this during a recent visit to children living with cancer in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, lamented that children die of cancer as a result of negligence and financial constraints involve in treatment of cancer; a situation the foundation is hoping to address.

“We are here because we want to help children survive cancer. We say all the time that our children are our future and anytime a child is lost, that future is gone. We are bothered because these children can survive. Childhood cancer has better chances of being tackled than adult cancer. Our survival rate here is poor compared to what obtains in the Western world, and this is caused by multiple problems like delayed detection, lack of access to treatment and financial constraint.”

Speaking on awareness creation and fund raising, Joseph said the foundation was trying to do its work on certain levels. “We want to work on advocacy to have institutionalised plans, we want to directly fund treatment for the children that we have right now, and we want to increase awareness so that detection will occur early. This will prevent them from developing stage three and four cancers,” she said.

While expressing joy in partnering with Visionscape to combat childhood cancer, she said the issue was funding, which is limited, adding that they have about 20 children needing treatment. “Nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing these children without treatment. We are super grateful to Visionscape for their support in this regard,” Joseph said.

Head of the Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, Visionscape, Mrs. Maimuna Maibe, noted as a sanitation company, they have chosen to invest in health which is next to sanitation.

“We are glad we are partnering with TDCF on childhood cancer. We are here to spend time with the parents and children to interact with them. Visionscape is a sanitation company and we believe health and sanitation goes hand in hand. Childhood cancer is a neglected area because people focus on adult cancer. Children here are at three and stage four. I think the best we can do is to preach prevention, early detection, and support in the treatment of cancer in our children,” she said.

A parent in the ward, Mr. Micheal Ayi commended TDCF for swift intervention on his four-year-old son battling cancer for over 12 months after exhausting the family’s life savings and sales of properties.

“My son Shedrak, a four-year-old, has been battling cancer for a year and I have been stripped off financially until I visited a friend and I saw a tract of TDCF. I mailed and called them to explain the condition of my child and they have been helping. My son’s ailment made me lose my job because I couldn’t leave him all alone. TDCF have been helpful, they pay for drugs and tests. I sincerely appreciate them,” he added.