Suubi Trust

Goodbye…

Enock broke the nation’s heart when he passed away. He was already ”famous’ when he first came to Hope Ward Cancer Clinic having been interviewed and discussed on many national TV and newspaper communications.

FROM: THE DAILY MONITOR UGANDA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER

The major deaths of 2009
November 4: Enock Ssebanga, Uganda’s poster-child for torture, succumbs to leukaemia at 21 years. His parents; Mr Charles Kayongo and Ms Regina Nabakoza, who locked and starved him for days in an abandoned store, are out after serving their jail sentences. The Monitor’s August 7, 2000 cover picture of Ssebanga’s scraggy body is a rude reminder of sorts about ongoing parental wickedness in our society.

Enock had advanced disease and sadly died within a year of receiving 6 months of chemotherapy at Hope Ward Cancer Clinic. Dr Helena relates that towards the end, Enock knew he was fading and tried to make his peace with his past and forgive the things that had happened to him.

Emmanuel (‘Emma’) – wriggling away from his mother as he knows he is going to have a bone marrow test!

Remember this little 5 year old who started treatment for acute leukaemia with us in 2007. He sadly relapsed last year after 18 months of remission – prior to the relapse the clinic was struggling to afford the high cost maintenance drugs. We appealed to several sources to assist for a bone marrow transplant but sadly these were not available to us. Since then our oncologist has restarted Emma on aggressive ‘reinduction’ chemotherapy (UK MRC protocols). Emma has done exceptionally well over the last 6 months since relapse, considering the circumstances.

Emma’s mother wishes to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all those who have supported him, as she holds her breath awaiting new results of bone marrow checks.

Elizabeth, with chemotherapy nurse, sister Joshi, 3 years in remission.

Elizabeth had a widespread choriocarcinoma (a womb cancer that is very responsive to chemotherapy). Although Elizabeth is now well, her husband and brother never took her back in again. When they found out she had cancer, they shut the door in her face and left her in the street. Now Elizabeth is healthy and lives with her mother in the West of Uganda. She is struggling to look after her 2 small children and an aging mother, but tries to smile and gets work as a ‘housegirl’ (cleaning homes).

Help us to help Elizabeth and many others like her:- you can give online by clicking here…

At Hope Ward Cancer Clinic we recognise the need for clear accounting and feedback on patients that have been treated in the past.

Laetitia is our very first Hope Cancer patient who suffered from breast cancer, still in remission.

Survivor: Laetitia Lilian Basemera

Laetitia’s testimony:

What does Hope Ward cancer care mean for me as a patient?

I am a lucky survivor by God’s grace. I was able to get support at the time I was completely helpless…. If I were to worry about funds for medication, it would in itself hasten my death. I was able to go to hospital all the time I felt great pain because I had no fears about the financial implications.

Today, I am a living testimony among the sick. Many do not believe that I passed through such a horrifying experience and I survived. When I narrate my story in full it is like a movie, very miraculous…..

Laetitia is now in remission and currently doing consultancy work for USAID

She is a very determined and courageous woman!

Help us to help Laetitia and many others like her:- you can give online by clicking here…

Remember Tom from the last report? Tom is known as one of our Hope rascals – he is a bright boy and plays on our computers and mobile phones whenever he visits and gets a chance! We are pleased to note that after completing several months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, tests confirm that his disease (Burkitts lymphoma) is in remission.

The CT scan above shows the position of the shrunk tumour (top right).

Tom has recently been sponsored by several sources to go back to school and is just as mischievous as ever!

This handsome young man consented to relate his story – Richard comes from the North of Uganda and struggled to travel south to Kampala for treatment, a day’s journey away. He is one of many young people who have seen great suffering across the North, following the atrocities of the LRA war, but he has the bravery and the ‘spirit’ to keep fighting to get something better for his life.

Richard had a large cancer of the tonsils (Kaposis sarcoma) which prevented him from being able to swallow, but now he has put on weight and is proudly showing that everything is clear after sponsored chemotherapy.