Kidzcan, this week commemorates the International Childhood Cancer Day, by urging people to wear orange in support of its Orange Week campaign.
The Orange Week is an initiative meant to remember kids living with cancer and also meant to generate money to assist children living with cancer. Kidzcan helps children living with cancer by sourcing, purchasing and donating chemotherapy and associated medications.
The campaign is running under the theme ‘Donate a dollar and help save a child’s life’.
A study conducted by International Society of Paediatric Oncology and the International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations (ICCCPO) revealed that 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide and eventually approximately 19, 000 die annually. If cancer is detected early enough in children, there is a 70% chance of survival.
In Zimbabwe more than 418 children are living with cancer while 259 cancer cases have been diagnosed.
Bev Sebastian, the Executive Director of Kidzcan revealed that various people and organisations have already started donating towards Orange Week.
“We have a couple of payments that have already been made and companies such Hyundai have already started showing solidarity by putting on orange outfits,” said Sebastian.
She also said “Kidzcan believes that children deserve the right to survive cancer in a loving environment.”
Kidzcan seeks to increase the early detection of childhood cancer to improve effective treatment. Kidzcan is the only organisation in Zimbabwe dedicated to increasing the survival rate of children with cancer.
The Orange Week started yesterday and will continue till the 21st of February 2015.
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Website: www.kidzcanzimbabwe.org