WATCH as the first lady of Botswana, Neo Jane Masisi, speaks on Childhood cancer in Africa and says the mortality rate of 90% should can be reduced to the same levels as that in developed nations (10%).
Please Watch the Video above this post to see Neo Jane Masisi speaking.
Full Speech:
Hello lions and those around the world.
The four most devastating words, that change lives in the span of a sentence, your child has cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, 300,000, new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed each year.
Given my role. I have a valuable opportunity to use my platform to help create much needed progress in this course area.
As a mother to a daughter and many other children, I am moved beyond measure, and have found it natural to support this urgent course.
For those who do not know. I’m committed to fighting childhood cancers in Africa with global hope, which is a program of Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, together with Lions Clubs International Foundation, lcif, along with other members of the global hope International Council, who are spread across the globe.
I’m dedicated to channeling my energies towards this challenge of childhood cancer. Saving children’s lives and creating hope for future generations of young people.
It is my firm belief that in taking care of our children today, we forge a path of wellness into the future.
Childhood Cancer is a devastating problem in Sub Saharan Africa, of the 100,000 children in Sub Saharan Africa who develop cancer annually. 90% will die.
While in the US and other high income countries survival rates of up to 80% have been achieved.
Can we say the 90% death regions SubSaharan region is entirely avoidable. Yes. Can we say, it may not be any child’s fate. Yes, we are aware that the solution lies in training doctors, nurses and other medical stuff right here in both one. And in the entire Sub Saharan region.
The solution also lies in provision of infrastructure, and access to drugs.
Improving outcomes for children with cancer cannot lie on the shoulders of a singular organization reversing mortality rates requires a shared responsibility.
For this reason, I was profoundly grateful. And I still remain so when I learned that the Lions Clubs International Foundation had joined forces with global hope to save our children. truly confirming the Lions Clubs International reserve.
The partnership is helping turn the tide. By building long term capacity in Africa to dramatically improve prognosis for children with cancer.
For its part, Lions Clubs International Foundation has provided generous financial support to fulfill infrastructure needs in global hopes has centres of excellence in both one Malawi, and Uganda.
Additionally, lions in each country. I engaging with their local communities to raise awareness of childhood cancer. Finally, ongoing progress will take sustained and growing awareness, including funding.
lcif is creating impactful progress in these areas, using its broad reach and the reputation for excellence.
We’re truly stronger and more effective together, the hope that I feel stems from the power of collaboration and a shared vision of the Republic of Botswana, Texas Children’s Hospital with Baylor College of Medicine.
For the global hope initiative. Lions Clubs International Foundation, lcif, and the lions, of course, this unique partnership is truly transformative and will have a lasting and sustainable impact across Africa to the lions and trustees once more.
Thank you for your efforts, thus far, for giving children with cancer today, a fighting chance were better tomorrow, or tomorrow, they will live to see.
Please accept my deepest gratitude for your future efforts to strengthen this amazing partnership that is changing lives for children in Botswana, and other countries in Sub Saharan Africa for generations to come.
Because of you, profound change for children, families and society in Botswana will unfold. As I leave you a wish you blessings and good health. I thank you very much.
