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.