What if we could eliminate cancer as a life-threatening disease for children in Africa?
WE CAN
Global HOPE
Texas Children’s Hospital is revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.
Launched in 2017 in partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative Network and supported by a $50 million foundational investment from Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, the Texas Children’s Global HOPESM (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) program is strengthening local healthcare infrastructure, in partnership with local Ministries of Health, and building capacity to effectively provide the multi-disciplinary care that is needed to optimally care for children with cancer.
Key Statistics
- 22,000+ children reached
- 6,785 healthcare workers trained, including 30 trained PHO specialists leading care in 12 centers across six countries
Give to Global HOPE
Thank you for supporting the Global Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence (HOPE) program at Texas Children's Hospital. Your gift helps us provide the treatments needed to improve the prognosis for children with cancer and blood disorders in sub-Saharan Africa.
Our Vision
Texas Children’s Hospital’s vision is to ensure that children diagnosed with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa receive the most effective therapies available and ultimately experience treatment outcomes comparable to those in resource-rich settings.
Global HOPE has established treatment and training centers in Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, and is building stronger relationships with Eswatini, Lesotho, Rwanda and South Africa. In only a few short years, Global HOPE has produced exciting results. To date, Global HOPE has had dramatic success treating over 8,700 patients and training close to 3,500 healthcare professionals.
THE CHALLENGE
Each year, over 100,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa develop cancer, and 90 percent of these children die, most without ever receiving proper diagnosis or any treatment.
In contrast, for the nearly 15,000 children in the U.S. who develop cancer annually, access to modern medical resources and a fully trained cadre of pediatric hematology-oncology specialists affords them an over 80% cancer cure rate.
Unique Approach
Global HOPE is a unique approach for African children suffering from cancer and blood disorders.
With over 10 years of experience on the continent endorsements by African Leaders, and in collaboration with local Ministries of Health and our foundational partner, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Global HOPE is implementing the following:
Training
Building capacity by training local African doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals
Healthcare
Strengthening healthcare infrastructure by establishing pediatric cancer centers of excellence that will serve as foundational centers of clinical care, education, research, and healthcare management excellence
Medication
Improving access to necessary drugs and supplies for the treatment and care of children with cancer and blood diseases
Awareness
Increasing awareness of pediatric cancer and blood disorders across Africa
Network
Developing a collaborative network of physicians and centers and implementing best practices throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to treat children fighting cancer
Where we work
BOTSWANA
Botswana has an estimated population of 2.3 million, with 1.2 million under 24 years of age. Estimates indicate that there are 450 new childhood cancer and 1,800 new blood disorder cases each year.
In 2007, Texas Children’s Hospital sent the first Pediatric Hematology Oncology physician to the Botswana-Baylor Children’s Centre of Excellence Trust to treat patients at Princess Marina Hospital. Over a 3.5-year period, that physician more than tripled the number of children diagnosed with cancer and increased survival rates 2.5-fold. Texas Children’s and Baylor-Botswana have helped to galvanize local stakeholders to build greater awareness of childhood cancer and blood diseases.
MALAWI
The Republic of Malawi ranks among the world’s most densely populated and underdeveloped countries with 67% of the country’s nearly 19 million people under the age of 24. The burden of pediatric cancer and blood disorders is significant. Roughly 5,200 pediatric cancer cases occur each year with many dying of their disease without receiving any care.
In partnership with Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Malawi, Texas Children’s Hospital is providing care at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. Baylor-Malawi partners with the Malawi Ministry of Health to offer in-depth training of pediatricians, nurses and other healthcare professionals. Global HOPE is improving the care and increasing survival of children with cancer and blood diseases in Malawi
UGANDA
Uganda is one of the fastest growing nations in Africa, with a population exceeding 45 million; 30 million of whom are under the age of 24. Given the large pediatric population, it is estimated that 7,000 children develop cancer each year, and 22,000 babies are born with Sickle Cell Disease annually.
Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda launched the Global HOPE program in Uganda in 2016 and primarily treat patients at The Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala. Prior to this, there was a complete absence of pediatric hematology-oncology specialists in Uganda. In partnership with Makerere University, the Ministry of Health and Mulago Hospital, Global HOPE supports a formal, 2-year clinical pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship program in Kampala that has fully trained eight pediatric hematology-oncology specialists and currently has 12 in training. In 2019 there were 42 applicants from nine African countries for the six training positions offered. In addition, Global HOPE supports an ongoing nurses training program in collaboration with the Makerere University School of Nursing.
In addition, Texas Children’s Hospital trains pediatric surgeons, pathologists and pharmacists across Africa. By improving access to needed drugs for cancer and blood diseases and by conducting community outreach and education, the awareness of childhood cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing and more children are benefitting from advanced care. As a result, for children with these diseases, hope is now replacing despair!
LEADERSHIP
TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Mark A. Wallace
Chief Executive Officer
Texas Children's Cancer & Hematology Centers
Susan M. Blaney, MD
Director
Texas Children’s Global HOPE
Joseph Lubega, MD
Director
International Council
Giovanni Caforio, MD
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Myers Squibb
Ann Lurie, BSN RN (ret.)
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Foundation
H.E. Festus Gontebanye Mogae
Former President of the Republic of Botswana
Mrs. Neo Jane Masisi
First Lady of the Republic of Botswana
Wendy Appelbaum
Philanthropist, Business Executive, and Investor
Mark A. Wallace
President and Chief Executive Officer
Texas Children’s Hospital
Linda Mays McCaul
Philanthropist
Campaign Executive Committee
Dr. Cary Adams
CEO, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)
Dr. James S Allen
Senior Consulting Health Scientist, Chevron Energy Technology Company
Veronica Arroyave
Senior Director, Global Community Relations, Executive Director, Baxter International Foundation
Guy Baron
Director, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Anthony Carroll
Vice President, Manchester Trade Limited
John Damonti
President, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation
Charles L. Frankel
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Botswana
Hemant Goradia
President and CEO, Vinmar International Ltd.
Donald L. Kramer, MD
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Botswana
John Knox Jr.
CEO, Markel Surety Corp.
Hon. Jimmy Kolker
Former United States Ambassador
Kristina Gutierrez Yantis
Director of Marketing & Communications, Sky High for Kids
PARTNERS
Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine together have expanded the scope of services they offer around the world due to the success their programs have had with diagnosing and treating children with HIV/AIDS.