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Hope Ward Cancer Care is one of our prime areas of focus this year. You can read below some of our patient stories, click here for a full listing.

Your support is making such a difference.

Dr. Helena and the Oncology Nursing team Aisha, Joshi, Irene and Maria wish to thank all of our sponsors for their generosity and help. Quite simply each gift means life or a better quality of life for each cancer sufferer and helps to relieve, often immeasurable, suffering.

Thank you also to all those who partner with us and facilitate each person’s care. Rapid appropriate referrals have and will continue to save lives.

  • Hospice Africa, who do a great job in finding desperate patients who need oncology support – we currently have 7 patients referred on treatment
  • Bless a Child Foundation who partner with us at every level of cancer prevention, treatment and palliative support
  • Softpower Jinja who kindly assist with treatment and transport – for 3 children at present
  • Corsu – for additional  surgical support
  • Dr. Richard Bogle for his generous gifts of support
  • Sean Clarke and his customers at Kuvuka Cafe.

We set ourselves a target to raise £25,000 in 2010; to date our total raised is £7,796, which is a great start but we have some way to go… please help, you can give online now by clicking here.

We had this comment recently from Jennifer, one of our volunteers last year:

I have only recently discovered this sad news. I would like to thank all that have donated time and money to the Suubi Trust, International Hospital Kampala, and those at Hope Ward that took great care of him during the year of his life that he spent there. Whilst I was there I saw him going from being a very sick little boy to a smiling, happy one, playing with some of his new toys.

Please continue to support Suubi Trust so it can continue to help more of those with serious illness without the means to help themselves.

Jennifer

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.

Emma and his mum 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 Komujuni with chemotherapy nurse, Sister Joshi

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.

Laetitia a cancer survivior 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…

Waira Tom

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.

Tom's CT after treatment

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!

Richard, one of our cancer patients on Hope Ward

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.

Richard after treatment

BB one of our cancer patients

‘BB’ was found by a good Samaritan – ‘BB’ was just 14 yrs old, desperately trying to care for all his younger siblings in the West of Uganda Kagondo district. His mother had just died and father imprisoned in Luzira high security jail. Carers noticed a rapidly growing mass on his back. This proved to be a lymphoma (NHL).

‘BB’ was referred to Hope Ward Charity Cancer Unit and since April 2009, he has received several cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy over 6 months. A plastic surgeon, at Corsu, removed loose skin and scar tissue and we are pleased to note that everything was clear of disease.

BB after treatment on Hope Ward Cancer Clinic

‘BB’ is now back home after all his months of treatment, where his brothers and sisters were overjoyed to see him alive, well and happy.

NB. Express written consent has been obtained by patients or guardians and to protect our clients, real names are ONLY used when the children and their guardians actively request.

NB. Express written consent has been obtained by patients or guardians and to protect our clients, real names are ONLY used when the children and their guardians actively request

Faith 12 yrs, when she first arrived at Hope Ward Cancer Clinic in July 2009:

Faith when she first arrived at Hope Ward

We hardly had a smile from Faith for many weeks when she first started chemotherapy for Hodgkins lymphoma. Her father was in despair as Faith was teased and left out by her friends from school. Many thought she was ‘cursed’ and would be afraid to go near her or touch her. Faith is currently doing well on chemotherapy, as you can see in the photo below.

From left to right, Brian, Fiona ('friend' of Hope Cancer Clinic), Faith and Denis on'chemotherapy day'

At Hope Ward Cancer Clinic, we consider holistic care extremely important. We have linked up with several volunteers who will also help us with the task of helping these children smile again and rebuild their lives, despite the tough treatment.

Fiona volunteers herself as ’Auntie’ to the children and has just brought in a box of toys, which is why the kids are grinning!

We also wish to acknowledge NGO Softpower Jinja who initially brought Faith and support 70% of her treatment.