Burkitt’s lymphoma is a very aggressive cancer, affecting mainly children from equatorial Africa, causing inflammation of the internal organs and evident swellings on the neck, cheeks and abdomen. If diagnosed in time, it has rates of healing ranging between 75% and 90%. In Uganda, a country where this cancer was studied for the first time, 47% of children still die. Too often these children die because they are taken to hospital too late, as a consequence of prejudices, poor information and lack of economic resources amongst the families.
AFRON Oncologia per l’Africa Onlus is active in Uganda (currently also in Rwanda) since a long time, advocating in favor of infantile and female cancers prevention programs and networking with the most relevant local and international actors.
AFRON is today in Uganda for the launch of the ABLE – Awareness on Burkitt Lymphoma project at Lacor Hospital and to inaugurate #SmilingToy, a project in collaboration with SO.R.TE association and the Uganda Child Cancer Foundation for the distribution of toys to children treated for cancer.
The Italian Embassy organized an event to promote the activities of AFRON. The event was graced with the participation of the Ugandan Minister of Health, Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng, as chief guest. Amongst the invitees were representatives of the main associations that collaborate with AFRON (UCCF – Uganda Child Cancer Foundation, UCI – Uganda Cancer Institutes, UCS – Uganda Cancer Society, UWOCASO – Uganda Women’s Cancer Support Organisation, Lacor Hospital), ambassadors and UN specialized agencies representatives, doctors and other civil society organizations officials.
For more info:
• www.afron.org
• www.solidarietaromanasulterritorio.org
• Article on Dire.it
• Gallery of the event
