Childhood Cancer Awareness month is recognized across the globe annually on the month of September. It is the month of the year where health organizations carry out awareness’s on childhood cancer, which is rare but is now seen as the leading cause of death in children and adolescents around the world today.
The theme for this year’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2023 is “Lace up for Kids”, in which aims to change the future for kids by raising awareness about childhood cancer and the possible ways in providing care and treatment to children who are currently living with cancer.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) Childhood Cancer Statistics, it is estimated that about 400, 000 children between the ages of 0-19 years will develop cancer every year worldwide.
In the North Fly District of Western Province, Tabubil Hospital female Paediatrician, Dr. Venao Seta officially launched the Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with a presentation to the hospital staff on the type of cancers that affect children on the 1st of September 2023.
A two-week awareness program on Childhood Cancer was carried out on the 4th to the 13th of September by Dr. Seta to about ten schools to an estimated total of 800 students and 40 teachers (including both primary and secondary) in both urban and rural schools.
According to a female Teacher from Sisimakam Primary school, this awareness was something new that they were able to grasp knowledge on particularly, on how cancer affects children and its signs and causes.
“After visiting schools and carrying out awareness, I have realized that there is still a need for more health awareness’s to be carried out so that we keep our children informed about their health so that they can be a mouthpiece in passing on what they have learnt to their parents and relatives in the village or back at their homes,” said Dr. Seta.
The students and teachers from those visited schools were thankful and appreciative towards Dr. Seta for carrying out the awareness and being able to educate them on something important.
In addition to this, Tabubil Hospital Administrator Margareth Samei said moving forward, Tabubil Hospital will have a structured Health Awareness program based on the different topics for both urban and rural parts of Tabubil in educating school children and the people on the different type of sicknesses and diseases that can be prevented easily.