21 Sep 2020

 Lobatse Lions Club president Ms Tshidi Serema says lack of awareness on childhood cancer in Botswana results in parents taking children late for treatment.

Speaking during a commemoration and awareness activity for childhood cancer in Lobatse on Saturday, Ms Serema pointed out that cancer afflicted children as it did adults around the world.

The commemoration was organised by Lobatse Lions Club and the club distributed approximately 300 golden yellow ribbons and posters containing information about cancer symptoms to members of the community. 

The club president explained that to combat the lack of awareness, Lions Club International in 2017 added the sensitising of communities about childhood cancer to its global causes. Other global causes for Lions Club International include helping to fight diabetes, hunger and loss of vision.

“Experts have noticed that children with symptoms of illness are usually not taken to doctors quickly. 

Sometimes parents are not aware of what is happening and children end up getting diagnosed very late when cancer has already spread through the body. 

We are saying take your child to the clinic immediately when they show symptoms. Cancer can be cured when treatment is started on time,” Ms Serema said. She said Lions Club work in partnership with Global Hope organisation to fight childhood cancer in Botswana.

“Lions Club International has pledged US$1 million to assist three countries, which is Botswana, Uganda and Malawi to develop the pharmaceutical area so that they have safe place to do all the medication necessary for cancer," she said.

Mr Amjad Ali, who is a pharmacist and also former president of Lobatse Lions Club, said warning signs of childhood cancer include low blood counts, coagulation disorders, platelet disorders, abdominal swelling, mediastinal mass with shortness of breath, bone pain, and swelling of arms or legs without trauma or infection. Ends