Wish4life Foundation solicit funds through the Voices for Life campaign for Children’s Cancer Research Center

 

 

 

 

Story by: Ishmael Barfi

 

 

In efforts to contribute to the fight against cancer in children in Ghana, hence Africa, the Wish4life Foundation has launched the ‘Voices for Life’ campaign to solicit funds to build a $250 million multi-purpose 100-bed children’s cancer research center.

The multi-purpose 100-bed children’s cancer research center will be situated at Asikam, near Kyebi in the Abuakwa South Municipality in the Eastern Region.

The project, International Children’s Cancer Research Centre Ghana, will serve as a flagship, closing the gap among pediatric patients who are diagnosed and treated by creating the first Paediatric Cancer Centre in Africa.

The facility Is expected to be completed within two years and will bring both local and international doctors to boost treatment and care for childhood cancer patients in the country and the sub-region.

Wish4life Foundation solicits funds through the Voices for Life campaign for International Children’s Cancer Research Centre

The Founder of Wish4life, Dr Tanya Trippett speaking at the ‘Voices for Life’ campaign launch in Accra indicated that there is a gap where most children with cancer are not able to come down to Accra and receive treatment and proper care.

This she said informed the foundation decision to build the centre at Asikam to enable these children to have easy access to health care that was not available to them and their communities.

“We wanted to create a haven for parents who are suffering with their children through the most difficult experience in their life and also want them to be surrounded by beauty”, she explained.

In that regard, Dr Tanya Trippett explained that the foundation’s wish for the treatment centre is to make the hospital a community and a global team effort.

Wish4life Foundation solicits funds through the Voices for Life campaign for International Children’s Cancer Research Centre

“The vision that the community leaders have is what made us choose Ghana as a place to bring this possibility to”, she stated.

Dr Trippett, who is a Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist, revealed that the achievable cure rate in paediatric cancers was over 80 per cent, however in Africa, the cure rate was approximately 20 per cent.

She said their aim was to overcome the existing healthcare disparity in children with cancer in limited resource countries by addressing the needs and making the cure for their cancers a reality.

“Through access to essential medical expertise, medicines, supplies, resources and infrastructure support, the foundation will provide capacity building in partnership with paediatric cancer programmes around the globe”, she stated.

Dr Trippett noted that articulation of cancer experience from diagnosis to cure was essential to obtain a cure and that quality investment in cancer cure saved lives.

She said most parents were faced with numerous challenges when seeking cancer care.

That, she said, included lack of quality facilities close to home, inadequate laboratories, lack of organised food programmes in hospitals, inadequate patients accommodation in outpatient setting among others.

Introducing the code through which the public can donate to this course, the Head of Public Sector Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Richard Asare, indicated that, the bank is committed to support national growth through such initiatives.

Emphasizing that, “At Stanbic, we always say Africa is our home and we drive her growth and as Ghana is our home, it is our responsibility to drive her growth. We are, therefore, excited to be part of the launch of the ‘Voices for Life Campaign’ to provide access to proper healthcare for our future leaders who are in dire need of medical attention”.

 

He believed that the campaign would help raise funds to directly tackle childhood cancer in Ghana and save the lives of young children and pledged Stanbic Bank support saying “We are supporting them the best way we know how to and that is by providing top-notch banking services to support the fundraising for this project.

Announcing the medium through which the public can contribute their widow’s might, he reaffirmed Stanbic Bank’s unflinching support towards the project.

“We are strategically assisting the foundation to mobilize the funds and help them to efficiently use the money generated to execute the project.”

Adding, “We have also created a platform that will help collect the funds raised securely and safely, easily accessible and simple to use through mobile money and online banking. We will continue to extend our banking services even after the completion of the project just to ensure that they continue to have a seamless banking experience. I encourage everyone to join this campaign because it is a wonderful initiative.”

Wish4life Foundation solicits funds through the Voices for Life campaign for International Children’s Cancer Research Centre

Therefore the public can contribute via the foundation’s partnership bank, Stanbic Bank website, or mobile money on the shortcode; *718*25*958#.

On his part, a lawyer for the foundation, Ken Tshribi explained that the foundation’s goal was to give children access to a comprehensive and sustainable supply of chemotherapeutic and supportive care medications critical to the delivery of curative therapy.

In addition, the foundation he noted would implement nutritional programs and empowerment initiatives to ensure the health and well-being of children undergoing cancer treatment.

The multi-purpose facility he added will also provide access to medical expertise for the training of medical professionals regarding the care of children with cancer and their treatment and also training of medical personnel and community in early detection of atric cancers.

The global humanitarian initiative began with a wish from a 13-year-old African boy, Eugene Gasana Jr., a cancer survivor who wanted other children in Africa to have the benefit of the same quality cancer care that he was given in the United States.

The focus of the foundation is a global humanitarian initiative designed to provide or enhance the opportunity for a pediatric cancer cure for children in developing nations.

The International Children’s Cancer Research Centre Ghana will be founded as a teaching facility for training and knowledge transfer for medical and allied professionals, and as a technology hub for Ghana and the countries of West Africa, one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.

Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com