Zimbabwe's Social Network

Kidzcan is a registered Private Voluntary Organisation (Registration No 04/2009) in Zimbabwe. We are concentrating our efforts on improving the provision of an early diagnosis and effective treatment of cancer in children, as well as to contribute to the well being of those children suffering from cancer and other related life threatening blood disorders. We aim to ensure that the affected children and their families have access to a high standard of treatment and support, regardless of their place of residence or their socio-economic background.

Although initially we sought to provide hope, comfort and consolation to the families and children suffering from cancer, very quickly Kidzcan came to realise the overwhelming need to assist with procedures required in bettering the circumstances of the children with cancer in Zimbabwe. Along this line Kidzcan also set out to develop and produce educational materials for distribution to rural clinics and hospitals.

History in Brief
Andrea Whatman (a survivor of childhood cancer) was one of the ‘Pari Volunteers’ – a group of ladies who visited the children in Parirenyatwa Hospital on a weekly basis. These ladies were there to entertain the children – playing games, arts and crafts and reading stories became something they looked forward to. Nine months later ‘Pari Volunteers’ became a mission of Northside Community Church. The cost of chaemotherapy drugs for the children with cancer was becoming a problem for the small mission and Dr Mupanamunda, the only paediatric oncologist at the time, discussed possibilities with Andrea. In 2002, they both received a month’s fully-funded fellowship to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN, USA. On their return they committed to forming a private voluntary organization called Children’s Cancer Relief – now known as Kidzcan. Under Andrea’s leadership, Kidzcan continues to carry out their dream of meeting the special and increasingly urgent needs of disadvantaged children with cancer in Zimbabwe, children who otherwise may not be able to be correctly diagnosed and treated.

Although initially, Kidzcan provided only spiritual and emotional support to children suffering from cancer in Zimbabwe, as well as being a source of comfort to their parents, very quickly, due to dire shortages of medical provisions such as chemotherapy drugs, Kidzcan started to provide financial and other aid. Kidzcan also develops and produces educational materials for distribution to rural clinics and hospitals.
Kidzcan has developed over the past several years and now aims to:
•    Fund diagnostic testing
•    Source and distribute much of the critically needed oncology medications
•    Provide supplementary feeding programmes for cancer patients such as Infant formula and nutritional cereals
•    Transport assistance for crucial follow-up appointments as the lack of public transport makes traveling from home to the hospital very difficult and patients have no transport of their own and very little money.
•    Support for the Parents of our cancer patients
•    Palliative care drugs
•    Blankets, clothes and toys
•    National awareness and sensitization campaigns to achieve early detection
•    A trained volunteer program to provide art therapy and playtime for the children restricted to the hospital.

We believe that kids with cancer can survive and there is a future.