After receiving chemo and radiotherapy to cure cancer, Children may sometimes get secondary cancers and they can come in different forms sometimes as breast cancer. This may be due to exposure to radiation and having the chemo itself.
Breast cancer in children is not very common but for some unknown reason the body will succumb to another attack of cancer. This is commonly viewed as complications of childhood cancer.
What can be done to improve cancer screening and treatment in children, especially those in marginalised areas so they are not exposed to breast cancer?
There is need for aggressive awareness campaigns, information availability for both health professionals and communities. An informed and empowered health professional in the rural area will quickly act and refer the child to next level of care in case they have suspected cancer, at the present moment there is marked delay in referral where people are put on treatment at the local clinic meanwhile cancer is growing then referred at the last minute or as a last resort.
There is need to empower communities so they seek help in time. A lot of people also delay seeking medical care, and rather consult traditional leaders, faith healers etc. I am not saying this is wrong, people do have their right to choose but with adequate information individuals make informed decisions because cancer does not wait and late presentation at the hospital results in loss of life because the disease would have already progressed and nothing much can be done to save the patient.
There is also need to decentralise cancer services.
Harare and Bulawayo are out of reach for many, and expensive yet these are the only places with a cancer wards for children and specialists who can manage childhood cancers.
There is need for research on childhood cancers to inform care and management.
Cost of chemotherapy drugs, scans and operations is inhibitive, the common person can not afford them. Those in positions of power should closely monitor pricing of services.
We need more caring and supportive groups eg business people to adopt children undergoing treatment, or even bus companies to offer to pay for one way so that parents and children can make it to their appointments in time.
The health services providers e.g. labs and radiology services can offer discounts or do so many free scans or lab tests per month, it can go along way.
Encourage nurses and doctors to specialise in cancer care and management to alleviate the burden of shortage of specialists.
Kidzcan is an organisation that cares for children with cancer.
Get in touch with Kidzcan at www.kidzcanzimbabwe.org or @Kidzcan_Zimbo14