WE C Hope of effective care for all children with retinoblastoma, survivors and their families.
With our partner, the Kenya Childhood Cancer Trust, we are building sustainable local capacity to provide the best possible care for children across Kenya. Our comprehensive national strategy includes awareness, medical care and family support programs that improve early diagnosis and treatment and reduce burdens
Rati’s Challenge
“Rati’s Challenge” was created in 2006 to address the needs of families affected by retinoblastoma in Africa. We launched the Kenya National Retinoblastoma Strategy (KNRbS) through this program in September 2008, and this remains our priority today.
The National Strategy includes
- Awareness education and early detection initiatives.
- Collaborative best practice guidelines for care.
- A specialist pathology service for personalized care.
- Medical training and development of retinoblastoma treatment.
- Point-of-care database to improve patient records.
- Donation of a retcam to improve care and support telemedicine.
- Child life training to improve psychological support for patients.
- Family support programs to reduce financial, social and practical burdens.
WE C Hope and the Kenya Childhood Cancer Trust share implementation, fundraising and administrative responsibilities for Rati’s Challenge activities in Kenya.
The Kenya Childhood Cancer Trust coordinates all activities of the KNRbS and its various working groups. The KeCCT also organize and host the annual KNRbS meeting. The event is vital to enable collaborative development of realistic solutions to Kenya’s challenges, and to ensure we stay productive, accountable and on target
Awareness Campaigns
Defeating childhood cancer begins with awareness, understanding and action. We promote three annual campaigns raising awareness of retinoblastoma and childhood cancer.
World Child Cancer Day (Feb 15): raises awareness of childhood cancer and its impact worldwide, and encourages families and childhood cancer communities in developed countries to help affected families in less developed countries.
World Retinoblastoma Week (May): focuses on achieving early diagnosis through awareness of white pupil as the most common early sign of this cancer, and increasing understanding of global issues in care for children, families and adult survivors..
Childhood Cancer (Gold Ribbon) Month (September: promotes awareness and understanding of childhood cancer and survivor issues, and support for childhood cancer organizations to improve care for children, survivors and their families.
