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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

A children’s cancer relief organisation, KidzCan has received more than US$80 000 for the fight against cancer in Zimbabwe.

KidzCan yesterday received more than US$80 546 raised from the Husqvarna Mud Run which took place last month in Harare.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr Daniel Mackenzie, the executive director of KidzCan said the money will be used to support childhood cancer in Zimbabwe.

KidzCan has supported over 9 000 children from across the country and currently the organisation is supporting more than 800 children who are on treatment.

Mr Mackenzie said before the Covid-19 pandemic they used to receive about 350 patients annually but the number has declined to below 200 children.

KidzCan supports children in four hospitals – namely A4 Ward at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital, Sally Mugabe Hospital and Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo.

“The support which we gave initially was just psycho-social support but we now support services such as bus fares for every child and mother or care giver, to and from for treatment,” Mr Mackenzie said.

“Treatment for cancer is spread over many years or many months and it will be difficult and impossible for children to come so when they come again we offer admission packs because they do not know how long they are going to be in hospital. 

Often they just bring what they have and so we have to support them with the basics.

“We also support them with diagnostics. 

Without diagnostics the doctors will not be able to treat and diagnose the patient properly. We also give chemotherapy drugs but the most common cancers are retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye), leukaemia (cancer of the blood), kidney cancer and bone and brain cancers.”

Mr Mackenzie said they raise awareness to both health workers and mothers to present their child as soon as they suspect anything related to cancer.

“If they can be presented early they can be treated. 

No child should die of cancer. 

Children respond better to treatment of cancer so early detection is the best protection,” he said.