Dubai Hospital raises awareness of Childhood Cancers

Holds awareness campaigns to educate community about signs and symptoms of childhood cancer.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 21, 2019:  Face painters and magicians visited Dubai Hospital today to meet children with cancer as part of the annual event that aims to bring them joy and cheer.

Dubai Hospital and Mediclinic Middle East organised a campaign to mark International Childhood Cancer Day, which falls on February 15 every year. 

Dubai Hospital doctors also held awareness campaigns to educate the community about the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer, importance of timely detection and treatment options. 

Dr. Maryam Al Rayes, CEO of Dubai Hospital inaugurated the campaign.

Dr Hani Humad, Paediatric Oncologist at Dubai Hospital said, “Every year we mark this occasion to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to educate the community about the importance of early detection and treatment. Unlike adult cancers, where only 60 per cent of cases are curable, almost 85 per cent of all paediatric cancer cases are curable if detected and treated early.”

Dubai hospital is an internationally recognised centre for treatment of childhood cancers and we get around 60 new cases every year, and our cure rates are akin to the developed world. There are more than 600 children with cancer who are under our follow-up and they are doing well. 

 “Currently we have a dedicated team in Dubai Hospital that provides round-the-clock care, managing all children with cancer from Dubai and the Northern emirates.

Dr Anjan Madasu, Paediatric Hemato-oncologist at Dubai Hospital said, “Most childhood cancers initially present with non-specific signs and symptoms, which may lead to late detection. Childhood cancers are rare; therefore, there are no widely recommended screening tests to look for cancer. Some children have a higher chance of developing a specific type of cancer because of certain genes they inherit from their parents.

These children need careful, regular medical check-ups that include special tests to look for early signs of cancer. We have had few cases of congenital cancer, which means the child is born with cancer. However, in general, cancers in children can be hard to recognise right away because early symptoms are often like those caused by much more common illnesses or injuries.

Parents should be sure that their children have regular medical check-ups and watch for any unusual signs or symptoms that do not go away.
Symptoms include an unusual lump or swelling, unexplained paleness and loss of energy, easy bruising,  unusual bleeding, gum bleeds, dizziness, an ongoing pain in one area of the body, limping, unexplained fever or illness that doesn’t go away, frequent headaches often with vomiting, sudden eye or vision changes and sudden unexplained weight loss.