UCRF Cancer Outreach Schools in Nakaseke District

 One of the Uganda Cancer Research Foundation, Luweero strategic approaches this year is to reach to as many schools and rural communities as possible to deliver the message of Cancer, create early awareness of cancer prevalence and also to encourage people to test early as to establish their status. This is why any opportunity that comes our way, UCRF Luweero profits by it to communicate to people what is all about cancer. Only then, shall we save the future of Uganda from cancer especially when it can be prevented.

In line with the strategic approach of reaching out to schools, Isanga Anthony the UCRF Luweero Program Manager profited by this to create awareness once again to a school in Nakaseke District which is approximately 49km from Luweero on Tuesday 19.06.2012. The school is St. Kizito Primary School Lwetunga. I had been asked to take a visitor to the diocese by the names of Laner from Australia who works with Pontifical Missionary Society for the Children. As the visitor was going around the school premises for a school tour, I took the opportunity to communicate to the pupils about cancer using very simple tips that these children could easily understand, asking them if they knew what cancer is or what they understand by the term Kokolo (Cancer). Part of the message was that cancer is deadly just as HIV/AIDs is however, if cancer is discovered early enough the patient seeks early medical attention, then the likelihoods for survival are high. I also encouraged these pupils to always be attentive to their bodily pains and always report to the medical experts any strange bodily pains in time.

One challenge I learnt is that there is no nearby health centre in Lwetunga which makes it hard for a child in such area to seek quick medical attention.

Attached are some of the photos I took with the children of St. Kizito Primary School, Lwetunga.

 

UCRF Luweero Focuses Cancer Message on Young Children

Greetings from UCRF Luweero.
 

Last week on from the 14th-16th June 2012 UCRF Luweero members, Mr. Anthony Isanga and Juliet Nankumba, attended a working for Caritas Kasanaensis Child Sponsorship Program in Kampala at Mazzoldi House. During the workshop, they visited a school in Mukono at a place called Malongwe called St. John Nepomuk Primary School, Kitula. Malongwe is 40 km away from Mukono Town, about 100 km from Luweero altogether. The visit was intended to see some of the fruits of Caritas Prague Child Sponsorship Program a project operating in the Kasana-Luweero, Gulu, Nebbi and Kampala Diocese and supported by the Czech Republic.
 

Members took the opportunity to talk to the teachers and pupils of the school about cancer .
They educated the pupils and also sensitized them on some of the simple tips of safeguarding them from Cancer to include hygiene, avoiding genetically modified foods etc.

We also communicated to the children how Cancer affects everyone – the young and old, the rich and poor, men, women and children – and represents a tremendous burden on patients, families and societies. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world.

While the children are still young, we know that in Uganda, children bear a large burden of cancer (more than 50% of the Ugandan population is composed of children).  Secondly, we also thought that a stitch in time  saves you ten - so we decided to lay the foundation for future generations.

We share our pictures with you.

Cancer Message Goes to Ngoma!

Remember Ngoma - Yes. Again, this dusty village witnessed a historical event. Grassroots action against cancer. UCRF Luweero Branch members held an outreach activity to Ngoma, which is 100 km away from Luweero, on Friday on the 8th June 2012. They talked to pupils of St. Cyprian NgomaPprimary school and students of St. Luke Ngoma S.S. about cancer incidence and the need to take care of their lives. They emphasized early breast and cervical cancer testing in order for them to establish their status early enough.

 

They encouraged them to avoid taking foods which might damage their lives to the extent of acquiring some of the preventable cancers. These includes those foods that are low in fiber and very processed - also called a westernized life style.  This was a small step for UCRF, but a Giant step for Ngoma residents. Thank you for your encouragement.