The Dorcas Cancer Foundation and the Lagos Doyen Lions Club have said there is a need to educate Nigerians on childhood cancer.

The group in a statement, while on a courtesy visit and donation of care kits to children living with cancer at the Pediatric Oncology ward, Alima Atta, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, the Founder, TDCF, Dr Adedayo Joseph, said it was joining the world to celebrate childhood cancer day.

He called on economic managers to invest in awareness in its bid to reduce the scourge of cancer in Nigeria.

She stated that the day was not a day of celebration, but a day of reflection.

“It is not a day of celebration, but a day of reflection. It is a day we should all think of what we can do to help children with cancer in Nigeria and Africa at large,” she said.

According to her, the survival rate for childhood cancer in developed countries is about 80 to 90 per cent, but Nigeria is far from achieving those numbers because a lot of Nigerians do not know about the disease.

Also speaking, the second Vice District Governor, District 404 A3, Mary Onu, said the District was using the visit to reaffirm its commitment to showing love and affection to children living with cancer.

She said, “Today is childhood cancer day worldwide and we have decided to play our part by coming to this ward, Alim Atta in LUTH to share time with the children and give consumables which are medical supplies to support their treatment. We also gave care kits to those families that are caring for them.”

“The budget for today’s event was N945,000. We were not able to hit that target exactly, but we did go a long way. It is a partnership between the Lagos Doyen Lions Club as well and the Dorcas Foundation. We come here annually to support. September is awareness for childhood cancer because most folks do not believe that Cancer is prevalent in children. We are still ignorant and this hinders us from catching the signs early enough.”

On his part, the president, Lagos Doyen Lions Club, Okey Egbuchu, said the Club was a service organisation, with objectives aimed at eradicating childhood cancer, providing disaster relief items, combating hunger, blindness, and youth empowerment.

The Chairman, Child Survival and Development Organisation of Nigeria, Onari Duke, said the organisation was set out to reduce the maternal and child mortality rate in the country.