A humanitarian festival dubbed “September in Gold” was held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on September 27, 2026, to raise awareness about childhood cancer and mobilize funds to support children in oncology units. The event was organized by the Noah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to combating childhood cancer. The foundation's initiative aims to promote collective awareness and inform the public about childhood cancer.
According to Guy-André Mandjumba, Provincial Coordinator of the Noah Foundation in Greater Katanga, early detection of childhood cancer is crucial, with a 95% chance of recovery if detected early. He emphasized that cancer is curable and not a fatality. The foundation's objectives include supporting sick children, providing psychological and material assistance to parents, training healthcare workers, and raising awareness about childhood cancer.
The Noah Foundation was founded in October 2018 by Joly Pyame after her son Noah contracted leukemia. The foundation has its headquarters in Belgium and the DRC, with three branches in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and eastern DRC, in North Kivu. The organization advocates for the integration of childhood cancer control into the national healthcare program.
Mandjumba listed several warning signs that should prompt parents to seek medical attention quickly, including persistent fever, unexplained crying, deterioration of general health, weight loss, the appearance of red spots on the skin, swollen lymph nodes, and visual disturbances. These symptoms are common in childhood cancers such as retinoblastoma, leukemia, nephroblastoma, and lymphomas.
The coordinator also called for the establishment of a solidarity pharmacy supplying anticancer medicines and a parents' home to accommodate families coming from remote areas. He noted that the cost of a CT scan or chemotherapy remains unaffordable for the majority of the population. The foundation aims to mobilize the population, healthcare workers, and authorities to promote collective awareness about childhood cancer.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are only two oncology units, located in Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. Mandjumba warned that if efforts are not made to stop the spread of childhood cancer, the country will be overwhelmed by the disease in 15 to 20 years. The Noah Foundation's initiative aims to bridge the information gap and promote awareness about childhood cancer.
The Kinshasa Archdiocese has pledged support for the general population census, and other organizations have also launched initiatives to promote healthcare and development in the DRC. The Noah Foundation's efforts to raise awareness about childhood cancer and support victims are part of a broader effort to improve healthcare in the country.
Key points
- Early detection of childhood cancer has a 95% chance of recovery.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo has only two oncology units, located in Lubumbashi and Kinshasa.
- The Noah Foundation was founded in 2018 to combat childhood cancer.
