Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits a cancer patient at the National Paediatrics Hospital in May this year (Photo: VNA) Lan, Director of the Cancer Centre under the National PaediatricsHospital, revealed the information in the programme "Con thuyen mo uoc"(Ship of Dreams), organised last weekend in Hanoi.
The programme aims to improve people's awareness of children'scancer.
She added that about 280,000 under-19-year-olds are diagnosed withcancer worldwide every year. In developed countries, more than 80% of thepatients are cured. However, in low- and average-income countries, the rate isonly 20%.
Speaking at the programme, H.Q, 15, who used to be a cancerpatient, said that his family brought him from Da Nang to Hanoi for treatment.
"At that time, I was very young and did not fully understandwhat was happening. I only saw my mother crying a lot," he said.
In October 2010, two days before Q.'s third birthday, he receivedtest results of blood cancer.
Tran Thi Phuong, Q.'s mother, said, "We are farmers fromThanh Hoa who moved to Da Nang to set up our business in 2008. We had a lot ofdifficulties. We had to rent a house to live in temporarily. By 2010, when ourfamily economy was not stable, we still had to take care of Q.'s cancertreatment. The treatment for my son makes our situation worse."
Phuong's husband had to do every work to raise the whole familywhile Phuong accompanied Q. during his treatment.
"Many times, my eyes were filled with tears," she said.
After three years of treatment, in December 2013, Q.'s situationimproved.
He was hospitalised when he was six.
Now Q. is a 10th grader in a stable health condition.
Q. said, "My family found it very hard, they thoughteverything was over when I got the disease. But now it's different. I'mhealthy. Now health sector has been developed, patients have a better chance offighting the disease.
"I hope that sick people will persevere in treatment to get thesame results as me, even though it's painful, don't give up," he said.
Cooperation
Doctor Lan said that according to statistics around the world,although childhood cancer is rare, it is the leading cause of disease-relateddeaths in children and adolescents.
With advancements in science, technology and medicine, the rate ofchildren recovering from cancer has increased, bringing normal life to manypediatric patients.
Doctor Cao Viet Tung, Deputy Director of the National PaediatricsHospital, called for all people to unite in action and ideas and closely workwith each other to best support children with cancer and their families to havebetter access to care and treatment.
Individuals and organisations can help children with cancerthrough health insurance or charity funds.
The International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) takes theyellow ribbon as the symbol of pediatric cancer.
February 15 is Children's Cancer Day, and September is cancerawareness month for children worldwide.
Around the world, September is a time to organise national healthcampaigns, including fundraising for children with cancer, and develop policiesto support research to raise awareness about childhood cancer.
The SIOP has connected many countries and supported many familiesworldwide for over 50 years.
Recently, the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) wasestablished with the desire to help countries achieve a child cancer survivalrate of at least 60% by 2030.
The National Paediatrics Hospital is a member of the GICC,committed to supporting children with cancer./.
VNA
