Beryl Thyer
Memorial Africa Trust
|
Go back to: Site Map
Peter's Bulletin - May 2008
Bulletin: Issue No. 2; May 2008
Includes details of my completed 'Parachute Jump', please read on.....
|
|||
Dear Friends; It is time to write to you
again regarding recent events concerning
BTMAT.
Post-Symposium developments:
The Chief Pharmacist for the Cameroon Baptist Health Board, Nathan Wanyu, gave his presentation on December 8 2007, in which he outlined the care and control of anti-cancer drugs in general – and ours in particular. We have taken his advice, with the result that a much tighter record of drugs donated to each hospital, and an equally tight record of every dose administered, to every child – is noted,
and can be monitored at any time. This
will be of interest also to our donors at
Baxter Oncology (Germany), and at
Genus Pharmaceuticals (UK). It will also
enable the Trust to estimate the likely date
at which our most important first-line drugs
will be exhausted. This in turn will enable
us to arrange for fresh supplies to be
ordered by the Trust. The transparency of
this arrangement will no doubt also be
appreciated by our generous donors of
Cyclophosphamide and Vincristine.
Along similar lines the Trust has opened
dedicated Accounts at the three hospitals
we serve. We will thus be able to see on a
regular basis, per emails, how our money
is being spent.
This will also obtain for our Clinical Director Prof Peter Hesseling who has located donors for our newly established Parent Support Programmes at all three hospitals. This will not be the responsibility of BTMAT, but will be closely allied to it.
Child Cancer Registries:
The December 07 Bulletin mentioned these. The equipment for them is already in
Cameroon, but at the time of writing have
not been released from the port of Douala,
where they - and many other donated
items - have been immobile since March
24 2008. This sort of frustrating delay is
commonplace; we need to be very patient!
I hope that in the next Bulletin I will have
better news for you.
Clinical Studies:
We have four such Studies in progress:
The new Protocol for the management
of Burkitt’s lymphoma (Cameroon 2008
Protocol) went live in March and April
2008, during my recent visit (March 16 –
April 16). Cases have already been
enrolled into this Study.
The Wilms’ Tumour Study is progressing, though the number of cases
of children with this disease turns out to
be smaller than we had anticipated. All 6
patients enrolled to date are doing well.
Research Assistant Nurse Mercy Kigha
and I visited one of them; Cedric, a one year survivor, during my recent visit.
|
The Parents’ Support Programme is in
action at Banso Baptist Hospital. Soon it
will start at Mbingo Baptist Hospital. Later
this year we anticipate it will also commence at Baptist Hospital Mutengene.
The Programme aims to assist the poorest
of parents of our BL cases with a food and
cash allowance whilst their children are in
hospital. It also will provide transport money for them. As mentioned earlier these programmes run in parallel to the work of BTMAT.
The Ultrasound Study is already
showing us that our treatment for BL can
be modified according to the U/S findings
(an integral part of the Cameroon 2008
Protocol), and can be monitored by repeat
U/S examinations at specified times. This
Study has the full co-operation of the U/S
technicians at all 3 hospitals.
The results of all these Studies are
recorded diligently. All will be presented at
conferences of the International Society of
Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in the years
ahead.
In addition to the above, Professor
Hesseling and I will be at the SIOP Africa
conference, in Tunis, later this month.
We will be presenting the results of our now
completed BL Rescue Protocol (called
Malawi 2005), where we will demonstrate
to our colleagues from around the world
that a low-cost 15 day course of
treatment can rescue 40% of patients who
failed to respond to our standard Protocol.
This brings to almost 70% the number of
children to whom we can offer long-term
survival. We approach the developed
world figure of 80% survival rates, and of
this we are justly proud.
Not only do we provide daily care for our
sick children to a high degree, we also
engage in scientific work of the highest
standard possible in sub-Saharan Africa.
This could not happen without expert
leadership from Professor Hesseling, and
it could not happen without the extreme
dedication shown by our colleagues in the
field. Furthermore it could not happen
without donations from well-wishers in the
United Kingdom.
The Weekley Room at Mbingo Baptist
Hospital:
Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) has enjoyed
the privilege of the Warkton Room for
several years. This is a small room
refurbished by the Administration of BBH
at my request. It is at once a bedroom, an
office, and a library of paediatric books
and journals. We have recently been
granted a similar room at Mbingo Baptist
Hospital (MBH). It is near completion. It
will have a shower and toilet. Adjacent to
this accommodation will be the Cancer
Registry/Parent Support Programme
Office. It is close to the Children’s ward. It
will be called the Weekley Room. The
Administration at both hospitals are ever
sensitive to our concerns for their sick
children, and this is greatly appreciated.
For those folk who are unaware of the
topography of Northamptonshire, Warkton
is my village, and Weekley is a
neighbouring village.
Breastmilk Banks:
The Trust has provided 5 in all. Three at
the Baptist hospitals, and two at
Government hospitals. All are proceeding
well, and giving a much appreciated
service. The exception was the
Government Hospital Buea, which
received a bank from us a year ago, but
due to lack of a few basic laboratory
items, has not yet gone into action. This
was disappointing; we will be following it
up.
|
||
Page 1
|
|||
The situation is particularly good at the
Baptist Hospitals, as the picture shows.
I took the opportunity to visit two other hospitals with a view to providing them with banks; St Mary’s Catholic Hospital, Bamenda, and Provincial Hospital, Limbe. Much interest was shown by the Administration at both hospitals. It is likely that Dr Paul Wharin will follow-up this issue at both hospitals, show them a powerpoint presentation on the subject, and hear from them whether or not they wish to proceed.
Patronage:
Having searched diligently for a Patron for BTMAT since our inauguration 2 years ago – (there were 7 ‘possibles’ in all) – and not having been replied to by most of them – it came as a surprise to be contacted whilst I was in Cameroon in April, by Patti Boulaye. Patti is a singer of modern music, a dancer, an actress, and an artist, click here to visit Patti's website. Hitherto I had never heard of her (shame on me!). She is Nigerian, but has been in the UK since age 16. She is a committed Christian and a busy Charity worker. She has erected 3 medical clinics in rural areas of Nigeria, and recently one in Cameroon. She had been put in touch with me to help in the equipping and staffing of her Cameroonian clinic. Plans are afoot now for The Cameroon Baptist Health Board (CBCHB) to run this clinic; an arrangement agreeable in principle to the Director of CBCHB (Professor Tih Pius Muffih), and to Patti. As a ‘thankyou’ she agreed to be our Patron.
Something tells me this could be very wonderful for BTMAT. What say you?!
Charity Commission Award 2008:
On March 14 2008 – just before I left for Cameroon, I filled in a Nomination form for the Charity Commission’s Award for 2008. The Award recognises and celebrates excellence in leadership and management of Charities of all sizes in the UK. On returning from Cameroon I learned that BTMAT had been shortlisted for an award. This alone entitles two of our Trustees to a presentation banquet at London’s Battersea Evolution on June 19. Only fellow-Trustee Michael Jeans and I will be able to attend. Sadly Patti Boulaye is out of the country in June. We only learn on the night if we are winners; keep your fingers crossed!
|
Skydive!
The December 2007 Bulletin advertised it.
Dozens of you sponsored me. A few
preferred to sponsor me not to jump; but
the pro-jump numbers were better!
Several Leeds University Medical School
students contacted me whilst I was in
Cameroon. They expressed an interest to
join me in the jump. All but two of these
young people withdrew – largely on the
grounds of the cost of travel and the cost
of the jump.
Two students however stood their ground;
Lorreta Chindo from Cameroon, and
Barbara Onen (Lorreta’s best friend) from
Uganda.
This was wonderful; two young medical students from the UK, so concerned about children with cancer in Africa, that they were willing to express their dedication to our cause in this adventurous way – with the old
Englishman! We waited all day on April 30 for the weather to be safe enough to permit the jumps; then we all did it. It was thrilling; it
was safe; it was successful in that it has
already raised £3000+ for BTMAT.
Lorreta and Barbara had through their
own efforts raised £450 and brought a
suitcase full of coins with them!
In conclusion:
The March/April visit to Cameroon was
successful. We continue – with the
dedication of doctors and nurses in
CBCHB hospitals – to function effectively.
Children’s and babies lives continue to be
saved. My fellow-Trustees are active and
supportive. Funds continue to come to us
thanks to the generosity of you all. I hope I
will be able to report further advances in
our next Bulletin at the end of this year.
Many thanks to all of you for your concern
and practical support.
Peter McCormick
Founder, Beryl Thyer Memorial Africa Trust.
|
||||||||
Page 2
|
|||||||||
Go back to: Site Map
(Peter's Bulletin, May 08)
Beryl Thyer Memorial Africa Trust, a UK registered charity ~ 1112603