Today 15 February is International Child Cancer Day.
Let’s reflect on the following (with thanks to Childhood Cancer International):
– Every year, more than 400,000 children and adolescents below 20, are diagnosed with cancer.
– The rate of survival depends on the region, with 80% survival in most High Income Countries but as low as 20% only in Low and Middle Income Countries.
– Every child and adolescent with cancer – regardless of financial or social class, race or native origin – deserves access to the best possible treatment and medical care.
– Children with cancer often suffer prolonged and untreated pain, due to:
— myths about pain management as well as the use of opioids and possible “addiction”
— lack of appropriate knowledge of pain assessment tools
— lack of understanding of how children perceive and experience pain…
Children in LMICs are much more likely to die than children in HICs, largely because of delayed care-seeking, misdiagnosis and late diagnosis, all closely related to lack of information and knowledge…more