Suburban
Ivan Zhakata Suburban Reporter
KidzCan Zimbabwe has received more than US$80 000 for the fight against childhood cancer raised a recent Mud Run sports event organised by local outdoor equipment supplier Husqvarna.
Husqvarna officials handed over the money totaling US$80 546 to KidzCan last Friday at their offices in Belgravia.
The 2022 Husqvarna Mud Run was held at Mount Pleasant Sports Club last month.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr Daniel Mackenzie, the executive director of KidzCan thanked the Husqvarna team and said the money will be used to support children living with cancer in Zimbabwe.
KidzCan has supported more than 9 000 children suffering from cancer from across the country and currently the organisation is supporting more than 800 children who are on cancer treatment.
It supports children at four hospitals namely the A4 Ward at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital, Sally Mugabe Hospital and Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo.
Mr Mackenzie said they have been offering psycho-social support but are now extending the support to other services such as bus fares for every child and mother or care giver to and from for treatment.
“Treatment for cancer is spread over many years or many months and it will be difficult and impossible for children to come so when they come again we offer admission packs because they do not know how long they are going to be in hospital. Often they just bring what they have and so we have to support them with the basics.
“We also support them with diagnostics. Without diagnostics the doctors will not be able to treat and diagnose the patient properly. We also give chemotherapy drugs but the most common cancers are retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye), leukemia (cancer of the blood), kidney cancer and bone and brain cancers,” he said.
Mr Mackenzie said they raise awareness to both health workers and mothers to present their child as soon as they suspect anything related to cancer.
“If they can be presented early they can be treated. No child should die of cancer. Children respond better to treatment of cancer so early detection is the best protection.”
Husqvarna Mud Run events director Mr Grant Mitchell said he was happy that the event has continued to grow year by year.
“We have grown over the past 10 years and this year we have raised more money compared to the previous year. Since the beginning of the Mud Run we have raised more than US$250 000 and we are very grateful with the support which we are receiving from our sponsors and participants,” he said.
