Eric Bouffet, Director of Paediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at The Hospital for Sick Children, Vice president of the French African Group of Paediatric Oncology, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“A special place, a wonderful moment
During my time in Ethiopia, I and other colleagues had the privilege to visit the TAPCCO parents’ house in Addis. It was a moment out of time. Just a moment where you realise that what you live at this time is unique. Fifty children and fifty parents live here. All children are treated for cancer. They come from outside Addis, sometimes over 1000 km. And they stay there until the treatment is completed.
During my professional life, I heard comments about managing children with cancer in low and middle income countries. Not really a priority for some people, as there are other priorities to address concerning childhood mortality. When you visit this place and you see this community of children and parents, you realise that the life of a child is priceless, whatever the life-threatening condition he/she is facing and wherever the child lives, in a high-income or low-income country. It was breathtaking, moving and difficult to hide our emotions. If you have spare change, please go there and donate. Thank you!
Pictures taken with the consent of the children and their parents.”
