Alejandra Mendez, President of Childhood Cancer International, shared on LinkedIn:
“In just a few days, I will be traveling to Jimma, Ethiopia, to participate in a workshop on the Zero Abandonment Programme – an initiative that truly touches my heart.
There is something deeply powerful about this programme. Its mission is simple, yet life-changing: to ensure that no child has to abandon cancer treatment because of circumstances beyond their family’s control.
For too many families, the greatest obstacle to completing treatment is poverty. The cost of transportation, food, accommodation, and other out-of-pocket expenses can make continuing treatment impossible. This is where a relatively simple intervention – cash transfers – can make an extraordinary difference. What makes this initiative so special to me is its direct, tangible, and profoundly human impact.
The results are compelling. In Malawi, a pilot programme reduced treatment abandonment from 19% to just 7%. The approach is now being adapted in other African settings, including Ethiopia and Uganda.
These are more than statistics. They represent children who have a better chance of completing treatment, families who can overcome barriers, and lives that may be saved. Treatment abandonment is not a failure of families. It is a failure of systems to make treatment possible.
I am excited to learn about the achievements of Phase 1, and I look forward to planning and building Phase 2 – reaching more children, and ultimately saving more lives.
Thank you to CANCaRe Africa, Trijn Israels and TAPPCO for their dedication, leadership, and vision.
This is what gives our work meaning. And this is what makes me believe in the power of working together. Sometimes, saving a child’s life begins not with a new medical discovery, but with removing the barriers that stand between that child and the treatment they need.”
You can also read:
Abdu Adem Yesufe: Transforming Cancer Care in Ethiopia Through Strategic Action
