Cecilia is a seven-year-old girl from Trede, Ghana who lives on a farm with her parents and five siblings. When her mother noticed a series of lumps behind her daughter’s ear and on her neck, she immediately took Cecilia to their local hospital.
By this point, Cecilia was also suffering from severe fevers and despite receiving several blood transfusions her temperature did not reduce. After months of treatment with little progress, Cecilia was finally transferred to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), it was here that she was diagnosed with Leukaemia.
The incredible team at KATH have worked tirelessly to support Cecilia with our Health Partnerships and Programme Coordinator, Meg Collington, recently visiting Ghana:
Cecilia is now on the road to recovery but stays at hospital with her mother for the duration of her treatment despite her home being just ten miles south of Kumasi, due to expensive travel costs. Even though the arrangements are not ideal for the family, Cecilia can rest and recover between her treatment sessions and continue her favourite past-time of drawing and recently designed an orange and purple house that she hopes to build for all her family to live in. An ambitious young girl, Cecilia has dreams of travelling Ghana with her family when she grows up;
Cecilia is lucky, she is part of the one in four children in Ghana to access treatment for cancer but her family still face enormous challenges. With her mother spending several months away from the farm by staying by Cecilia’s side, financial support is crucial for the family. World Child Cancer supports Cecilia by funding some of her treatment and you could help too by donating today. Just £25 could pay for accurate diagnosis for one child with cancer, ensuring they are given the correct treatment and increasing their chances of survival.