HOLY MESSAGE FROM KAÇUV FOR 15 FEBRUARY CHILDHOOD CANCER DAY: TREATMENT SUCCESS RATE 80 PERCENT
Every year, 5,000 children fight against cancer in Turkey. Aiming to raise awareness on February 15, Childhood Cancer Day, Foundation for Children with Cancer (KAÇUV) not only draws attention to the needs of those receiving treatment, but also emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis with its ‘Recognize Yellow’ campaign. After the earthquake disaster in Turkey, the foundation quickly organized and started support activities to support children and their families who were treated.
Since its establishment, KAÇUV has been carrying out important activities such as ensuring the continuity of their treatment, providing psychosocial services and providing a suitable treatment environment for children receiving cancer treatment. In the Family Houses, which is the most important service of the Foundation, children and their families can stay free of charge during the treatment process. Apart from this, KAÇUV, which carries out activities and projects that will increase the psychological, social, physical and medical quality of life of children, also carries out important studies such as Umudum Education Scholarship Program and Umutlu Kutu project.
Thanks to the significant advances in diagnosis and treatment, survival rates in childhood cancers are increasing. Reaching thousands of children and their families with its projects, KAÇUV continues to raise public awareness about early diagnosis.
KAÇUV IS WITH THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILY TREATED IN THE EARTHQUAKE REGION!
KAÇUV started support activities in the region after the earthquakes that took place in Kahramanmaraş and affected 10 of our provinces. The foundation, which is organized to identify and meet the needs of children receiving treatment and their families, listed its activities in the region as follows:
Accommodation Support:
We primarily provide accommodation support at KAÇUV Family Homes for children affected by the earthquake and their families who are still under treatment. In addition, we will provide accommodation support at different times in hotels and guesthouses in Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Ankara and Antalya.
Food Support:
We provide food support to 221 children and their families who are under treatment, with a digital shopping code every week for 3 months.
Medication Support:
In cooperation with the Istanbul Chamber of Pharmacists, we provide drug supply support for children undergoing cancer treatment.
Cash Support:
We provide cash support for three months to meet the needs of 221 earthquake victims (medicine, fuel, clothing, home textiles, etc.).
Hope Box Support:
We deliver our ‘Hopeful Boxes’ consisting of medical and hygiene products to 1000 families in the earthquake area.
Psychosocial Support:
We will expand the “Add Color to Life with Art Project”, which we continue with KAÇUV psychologists and volunteers, for children who are still under treatment, for children affected by the earthquake and their families.
Volunteer Support:
We ensure the flow of confirmed and correct information by providing coordination support in the areas needed in the disaster area with our volunteers.
NOTICE YELLOW!
KAÇUV continues its studies that draw attention to childhood cancers this year as well. ‘Notice the Yellow!’ Within the scope of the campaign, the importance of early diagnosis will be highlighted in the outdoor areas of municipalities in 10 different provinces (Istanbul, Kırklareli, Bolu, Bilecik, İzmir, Bursa, Çanakkale, Sinop, Burdur, Eskişehir), on social media and on screens.
KAÇUV also, on February 14, Chairman of the Board Prof. A presentation was made with the participation of İnci Yıldız and foundation psychologists. In my presentation, Prof. Dr. By İnci Yıldız, ‘What is cancer, what are the cancer diagnosis and treatment methods?’ In addition to topics such as Earthquake and Communication with Children and Bodily Reactions in Crisis Moments, information was given by experts. The Foundation will continue its awareness activities in both digital and physical environments on February 15 with the institutions it cooperates with. In this process, the employees of many institutions will wear their yellow ribbons and share on social media, and the institutions will support KAÇUV with the announcements they will make on their own pages.
In addition, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge will be colored with yellow light on February 15 in order to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to draw attention to the importance of early diagnosis.
THE RANKING OF THE MOST COMMON CANCERS HAS CHANGED!
Stating that 3,500 children in Turkey, ie 1 child every 3 hours, are diagnosed with cancer, KAÇUV Chairman of the Board Prof. Dr. İnci Yıldız informed that this number has reached 5 thousand with recurrences.
“Childhood cancers occur most frequently in the 0-5 age range and 10-15 years of age.” Speaking as Prof. Dr. Yıldız continued his words as follows:
“Leukemia constitutes 30 percent of childhood cancers in Turkey and in the world. About 2,000 children are diagnosed with leukemia each year. This rate, which was around 70 percent in previous years, varies by 70-80 percent this year. While lymph node cancers were the second most common cancer in our country in previous years, now brain tumors come second in our country, as in developed countries. It is followed by Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma), Neuroblastoma, Wilms Tumor, Soft Tissue Sarcomas (Rhabdomyosarcoma). Bone, skin, eye and liver tumors are rarer.”
WHAT SYMPTOMS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN CHILDHOOD CANCER?
It is known that very few childhood cancers are hereditary. Emphasizing that each type of cancer manifests itself with different symptoms, Prof. Dr. İnci Yıldız listed the important symptoms that families should pay attention to as follows:
“Leukemia disease; It is manifested by signs of non-healing infections, extreme weakness, pallor and bleeding in the skin, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and swelling of the lymph nodes. Kidney cancer, adrenal gland and glandular cancers that we call lymphoma also have specific symptoms. Lymphomas come with glandular swellings. Kidney and adrenal gland tumors may present with abdominal swelling or persistent abdominal pain. Bone tumors present with a swelling and pain in the bone in older children. Therefore, if families see even the slightest symptom, they should consult a doctor without neglecting it.”
SUCCESS RATE IN TREATMENT 80 PERCENT!
Stating that many drugs are used together or alternately in the treatment, Prof. Dr. Yıldız continued his words as follows:
“The combination of drugs that are effective in each tumor varies, but there are drugs that are common and not common with drugs used in adults. For example, the use of radiation therapy in young children is limited. The average success rate in treatment is around 80 percent. In recent years, targeted therapies, which are popularly called smart drugs, have also greatly increased the success.”
HOPE SUPPORT TO BRAVE CHILDREN
The Hope Foundation for Children with Cancer, which has been supporting children and their families who have been treated for cancer for more than 20 years, seeking solutions to their needs and putting its signature under successful projects, is waiting for its supporters who will be partners in this hope. Those who want to get information about the projects of the foundation and support children who are fighting cancer bravely can get information at www.kacuv.org.
Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency
