SHARJAH // A campaign to offer free treatment to the world’s child cancer sufferers is aiming to raise US$10 million in its first two years.
The International Childhood Cancer Fund was launched by Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, last month.
It aims to offer free treatment to 176,000 children who have cancer diagnosed each year.
Sheikha Jawaher, first Eminent Advocate for the UN children’s fund, has given $1m, or more than Dh3.6m, to the ICCF.
Ameera bin Karam, president of the charity Friends of Cancer Patients, of which Sheikha Jawaher was the founding member, said the goals were achievable.
“Governments around the world can work with private organisations and individuals to make this a reality,” Ms bin Karam said. “Sheikha Jawaher will work internationally with medical teams, governments and cancer-care organisations to make this a reality.
“The cost of treating childhood cancer varies so greatly from patient to patient, and from region to region, that giving a single meaningful analysis of the cost is not possible,” Ms bin Karam said.
“The International Childhood Cancer Fund will work to raise as much money as possible to ensure every child with cancer receives the care they need.”
The cost of treating childhood cancer varies but in the US a week’s supply of medicine can cost about $4,000.
But raising enough money for medicine is not the only challenge.
“More complex problems arise in countries that have been affected by war or natural disasters, where cancer treatment is less available or outdated,” said Ms bin Karam.
Dr Ibtihal Al Fadil, a consultant in non-communicable diseases for the World Health Organisation, said the sustainability of the fund and the training of staff would be the biggest challenges.
To make it a success, Dr Al Fadil said a “mechanism needs to be established for nourishing the funds”.
“There is a huge difference between developed and developing worlds in terms of cancer treatment due to lack of medicine and resources,” he said.
“The running costs will be high, in particular in low-resource countries. There is a need to support low-resource countries in the region to build their national capacity and system to improve childhood cancer treatment.”
Childhood cancer is the fourth most common cause of death among those under 15 in industrialised nations, with about a third of all cases being leukaemia.
arizvi2@thenational.ae