Tag: Retinoblastoma

I have finished editing the Winter Champagne Breakfast at Bloemendal.  Mrs South Africa Finalist Sunette Nieuwoudt organized this breakfast in aid of Little Fighters Cancer Trust and the guests had to bring along some baby products for the  “Babies behind Bars” project.

At first I wanted to cover the whole breakfast in one posts but I decided against it. We had some very inspirational speakers and I wanted to write a story/article or what ever you would call it on each of them. I am not a born writer but I think with their websites and stories I can write a few sentences.

First on my list is the Little Fighters Cancer Trust .

Everyone is always talking about Breast Cancer awareness and how we must support CANSA. The next charity everybody always talks about is those for HIV/AIDS children.  Never have I heard of a group that help in the fight against Childhood Cancer.

I am 38 years old and I am a mom with two healthy boys and I heard about Little Fighters Cancer Trust for the first time on 4 August 2012.  Since then I wondered what I would do if one of my children was diagnosed with cancer?   To be honest I don’t know….

I am so glad Mandie Erasmus one of the trust Administrators was one of the speakers at the breakfast. She handed out little gold ribbons and pamphlets and told us more about what Little Fighters Cancer Trust do. She also made us aware that there are different types of Childhood Cancer’s and that we should all go and have a look on the website of  Little Fighters Cancer Trust  for more information.

While she was talking to us they send around big green Piggy banks for donations. I just loved these Green Pigs. Maybe I must get myself one and do my bit for the Little Fighters Cancer Trust.

This morning I wanted to send Mandie some of the photo’s I took of her while she was giving her “speech” , but I only had the pamphlet she handed us. Now I am ashamed to say I only read the pamphlet and never went to have a look at the website…. until this morning.

It had me in tears. They do warn you that not all of the photo’s are nice to look at.  I read the stories, looked at the photo’s and what did I pick up? 99% of the little fighters are smiling and some are even laughing… Oh My goodness ….  My heart goes out to each and every family.  I also realized that out there in the world there are thousands of children and their families  in the same boat and how many of them here in South Africa knows about Little Fighters Cancer Trust?  Well if I only heard of them now I don’t think it could be allot.

Did you know that there are 8 different types of Childhood Cancers? Well I did not know. Here are the links to the different types of Cancers and what the signs and symptoms is and also what to do.

Leukemia;  Neuroblastome;  Wilms Tumor;  Brain Cancers;  Rhabdomyosarcoma;  Lymphomas;  Retinoblastoma and  Bone Cancers.

Childhood Cancer is a much more bigger deal than what people think.  According  to studies it is responsible for more child deaths than Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS!!!!  Shocking isn’t it?  There are a bright side to the above 70% of all Childhood Cancers are 100% curable if diagnosed in time. So go read up and be aware of the symptoms.

The Little Fighters Cancer Trust try to relieve some of the heartache and difficulties faced by the affected families. They assist the families at home and at the hospital and try to make their stay at the hospital more bearable and comfortable.  They treat the families as a unit and try to keep the families together in dignity.  Little Fighters have a Bag of Hope Project and it is one of a kind here in South Africa.  Each bag of hope costs around R450 each for the Child and the Mother that is a scary R900.

I copied the contents of the Bags of hope

The items in a Child’s Bag of Hope are as follows:

• Soft new blanket
• New set of Pajamas
• Soft toy
• Coloring book and crayons
• Reading book, puzzle or educational game
• 0- PH Soap and facecloth
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Aqueous cream
• Crisps
• Boxed fruit juices
• Sweets

Items typically in a Mother’s Bag of Hope are:

• Dry cereals
• Longlife Milk
• Boxes of Cup-a-Soup
• Two Minute Noodles
• Sandwich Spreads
• Coffee
• Tea
• Sugar
• Rusks
• Biscuits
• Soap and facecloth
• Towel
• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Sanitary products

For more information on Childhood Cancers and the different projects of  The Little Fighters Cancer Trust please go visit their website at www.littlefighters.org.za 

To show your support for Childhood Cancer wear a Gold Ribbon.