KUWAIT: The Cancer Aware Nation (CAN) campaign organized an entertainment trip for children who recovered from cancer and their guardians to Bay Zero Water Park under the themed “our summer with CAN is more beautiful.” CAN is keen to promote awareness about cancer in Kuwait and to assist the children and to make them happy.

Research and studies have confirmed that psychological support is one of the most important factors in treating cancer patients because it helps raise the recovery rate. Chairman of the Board of CAN, Dr. Khalid Al-Saleh, said the number of cancer cases among children is 1,372 according to statistics from the Kuwait Cancer Control Center, which is 160 cases per year and represents 5.2 percent of all types of cancer.

Around 54.8 percent of cancer cases are under 10 years old, and 87.3 percent of the patients had their cancer under control. The most common cancer in children is leukemia, making 40 percent of children cancers, followed by brain tumors. He recommended that children have periodic exams when symptoms appear and urged people to keep away from risk factors that may cause cancer.

Dr Al-Saleh lauded the role of the health care professionals. He called on parents to be aware of the signs that could be an indicator of children having cancer. These include weight loss, fever, headache attacks, bone pain, and sometimes bruises or bleeding and skin rashes. He emphasized the mother’s role and her responsibility in checking the primary symptoms.