The Cancer Support Network Foundation, an NGO championing cancer awareness across Africa, on Thursday presented a GHC100,000 cheque and assorted consumables to the Paediatric Oncology Unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, popularly known as Ridge Hospital.

The donation was the highlight of the NGO’s annual Cancer Survivors Month campaign held every June to honour children battling cancer and to ease the financial burden on their families.

The ceremony became deeply emotional when two children who had completed their cancer treatment were called forward.

As the ceremonial bell rang, the sound echoed through the ward, a symbol that their treatment was over and the disease was behind them.

A decorated cake was then cut to celebrate their survival and healthy life.

 For families watching, it was proof that with the right care and support, childhood cancer can be beaten.

Speaking at the event, the Founder of the Cancer Support Network Foundation, Dr. Juliet Appiah Quansah, said the initiative was born out of compassion for patients and families navigating the harsh realities of cancer treatment.

Celebration of Cancer Survivors Month in June is to celebrate children undergoing treatment and to remind them they are not alone,” Dr. Quansah stated.

“The funds we are presenting today will go directly toward paying for medications. Once a child gets the right diagnosis and timely treatment, they can get well. That is why this month, we decided to stand with these children. “She noted that while the Foundation, established in 2018, focuses largely on adult oncology, it makes a point to visit paediatric oncology once every year.

After spending time with children still on admission, Dr. Quansah pledged a sustained partnership between her NGO and Ridge Hospital.  “We are praying for you and believing in God that you will come through your treatment and be successful in the future,” she told the young patients.

Receiving the donation, Medical Director of Ridge Hospital, Dr. Leslie Issa Adam-Zakariah, expressed gratitude and explained why the support matters so much.

He said Ridge sits at the heart of Accra and serves an extremely diverse population, both affluent and poor. However, the majority of its patients are from low-income backgrounds.

The hospital provides tertiary-level care comparable to teaching hospitals, but at a much lower cost, making it the facility of choice for many families.

Unfortunately, most of those who come here cannot even afford yesterday’s price,” Dr. Adam-Zakariah said. “What is even worse is that cancer patients, especially children, often come from extremely poor socioeconomic backgrounds.

Most of them would not have been able to afford treatment without donor support. “He assured the Foundation that every cedi will be accounted for:  “This is a modern health facility and very expensive to maintain. When support like this comes, it helps the patient, and it helps the facility pay for consumables and bills.

To our donors, we reassure you that this is a very good cause, and your support will be used for its purpose.

Dr.  Adam-Zakariah added that one reason many children complete treatment is because of the support mobilized by the Paediatric Oncology Unit.

“Anytime benevolent organizations step in, it addresses the needs of the most vulnerable in our hospital,” he said.

The Cancer Support Network Foundation was established in 2018 with the primary goal of walking with cancer patients and their families through every stage of the journey.

The Foundation believes no one should face cancer alone, and it continues to provide advocacy, awareness, and direct financial support to patients across Ghana.