South Africa
Gold September shining light on childhood cancer─── ZENANDE MPAME 15:41 Tue, 16 Sep 2025
Cancers in children tend to be different from those found in adults, with most of them often occurring in the developing cells, such as bone marrow, blood, kidneys, and nervous system tissues.
Around 400,000 new cases are identified each year, with around 1,000 of those cases in South Africa, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It’s estimated that half of the children with cancer in South Africa are never diagnosed.
International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated in September each year. Gold ribbons are worn to help raise awareness worldwide.
This is because people don’t know enough about the illness and how it manifests in kids. For this reason, many children receive their cancer diagnoses too late, when it has progressed, which reduces the likelihood that they will respond well to therapy.
“Childhood cancer, while often seen as rare, is a major health issue and one of the top causes of disease-related deaths among children across the world,” said national health spokesperson Foster Mohale.
“Therefore, raising awareness and promoting early detection are critical in improving survival rates and ensuring better treatment outcomes. Too many children and teenagers are either not diagnosed or are diagnosed too late.
The top 5 cancers affecting children. Photo: https://cansa.org.za/
“September globally is recognised as Gold September and is focused on raising awareness of childhood cancer. The gold ribbon has become an international symbol of strength, resilience, and hope.”
Behind each ribbon lies a personal story of a child, a teenager, a family, a survivor, or a health worker. This year’s campaign reminds us that every ribbon holds a name and every name holds a story, he said.
In South Africa, two-thirds of children with cancer do not make it to a cancer treatment facility. Most people who show up are in more advanced stages of their condition.
Early identification
Most children can receive successful treatment if they are identified early, according to the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa).
Warning signs parents can look out for are:
- Lumps in any place on the body, but mostly on the stomach, head, glands, and groin area.
- An unexplained fever present for over two weeks, weight loss, and easy bruising and bleeding.
- Aching bones, joints, back, and easy fractures.
- Neurological signs, a change in walk, balance, or speech regression, headaches with vomiting, and an enlarged head.
