[Source: Children's Health]
WOWS Kids Fiji reveals that 16 children have lost their lives to cancer between January and August this year.
Vice Chair Vilash Chand highlighted this at the morning tea fundraiser organized by Value City Private Limited today in Suva.
He says as of today, 77 children living with cancer are under the care of WOWSKids Fiji.
Chand says the statistics are just the tip of the iceberg, as there are a lot of unreported and unregistered cases in communities around the country.
“There are 77 children across Fiji. And these 77 are known cases to us. There are, ladies and gentlemen, a lot of unknown cases. The cases, you know, were reported to the health ministry.”
Chand highlights the necessity for intensified awareness on childhood cancer, as a lot of parents and guardians are unaware of the various types of cancer in children.
He says it often leads to a late presentation of children living with cancer, which causes death among children.
[Vice Chair Vilash Chand]
Chand emphasizes the significance of fundraisers such as the Value City organized Morning Tea to create awareness on cancer in children.
The Vice Chair of WOWSKids Fiji says the fundraiser provided over $50,000 in cash and kind in its first-ever morning tea event last year.