By Chioma Obinna

As part of its own contribution towards preserving the lives of children living with cancer in Nigeria, a non government organisation, Children Living with Cancer Foundation (CLWCF) said it is dedicating proceeds from its 2011 Awareness/Fund-Raising Walk, tagged: ”Walkathon 2011″ to the procurement of two centrifuges (blood separating machines) for the Oncology Department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

The walk holding 17th of September is also aimed at raising funds for chemotherapy for victims of childhood cancers.

Founder/President, CLWCF, Dr. Nneka Nwobbi who lamented the low cure rate of cancer in Nigeria said the organisation decided to venture into the purchase of the centrifuge, valued at N18 million because of the difficulties children living with cancer go through before getting the right blood component.

Nwobbi who recalled that CLWCF recently equipped the new paediatric oncology ward of LUTH explained that the goal was to furnish the blood bank with a blood separating machine, diagnostic centre and boost the blood donor registry.

Stating that the projects were part of the strategy to increase cancer survival rate among Nigerian children, she said unlike elsewhere, where cancer cure rates are as high as 80-90 percent, in Nigeria, it is 10- 20 per cent.

She blamed the low rate on low level awareness, wrong/delayed diagnosis, high cost of treatment and stopping treatment.

Calling on well meaning Nigerians to support the walk, she said “Your funds have helped with equipping the new paediatric oncology ward, now your funds will help make available blood and blood components to every child who needs it. Your presence at the Walkathon will help to generate awareness of childhood cancers and the necessity to have children investigated early.”

She further called on the Federal Government to establish a treatment centre for children living with cancer.

Father of a four – year child living with cancer, Mr. Cletus Chime appealed to Government to look inward and harness resources to at least establish a centre where Nigerian children would be treated if not free, heavily subsidised. He also appealed to Nigerians to support him raise N7 million needed for his daughter’s treatment in India.