Overview:
The Haitian Basis Towards Childhood Most cancers (FHACI) is internet hosting a fundraising brunch on July 13 to assist Saint-Damien Pediatric Hospital, Haiti’s solely pediatric oncology unit nonetheless working. The Tabarre-based hospital gives free most cancers care to kids regardless of scarce sources and widespread instability. Since 2004, practically 1,000 kids have been recognized, but 88% of pediatric most cancers instances in Haiti go undetected. With survival charges at simply 38–40% and no entry to radiotherapy, FHACI and Saint-Damien say pressing assist is significant to saving susceptible younger lives.
PORT-AU-PRINCE— On July 13, The Haitian Basis Towards Childhood Most cancers (FHACI) will host a Summer Brunch in Coral Springs, Florida, to assist the work at Saint-Damien Pediatric Hospital in Tabarre, the one pediatric oncology unit nonetheless working in Haiti offering lifesaving care and important hope to kids with most cancers and their households.
“Even with our restricted sources, we’ve managed to save lots of kids battling most cancers,” Dr. Pascale Heurtelou Gassant, founding father of the oncology unit, advised The Haitian Instances.
“The nation’s present scenario has affected us deeply, however the hospital stays operational and open to essentially the most susceptible populations.”
In Haiti, childhood most cancers is commonly invisible—missed in public well being insurance policies, and misunderstood by many. But tons of of households face this heartbreaking actuality yearly. Saint-Damien not solely gives remedy but in addition advocates for nationwide most cancers insurance policies.
The upcoming brunch goals to generate funds for remedy, treatment, dietary assist, and household help. FHACI says each registration for the occasion brings the hospital nearer to its mission.
“Each registration for this occasion brings us nearer to our mission. Collectively, we are able to deliver hope to kids in want,” FHACI’s representatives stated.
Saint-Damien’s important position in pediatric most cancers care
Since opening its oncology unit in 2006, Saint-Damien has recognized 954 kids with most cancers, between 2004 and April 2025, together with leukemia, Wilms tumors, retinoblastomas, lymphomas, and germ cell tumors.
Chemotherapy and surgical procedures are carried out on the hospital, however extra advanced care—like radiotherapy for mind cancers—should be referred to the Dominican Republic. With border closures, these choices at the moment are more durable to entry.
“We obtain all kinds of instances and spend a median of $1,854 per new affected person,” Dr. Gassant stated.
However the unit has solely 13 beds in 2025—a fraction of what’s wanted. Haiti information between 500 and 600 new pediatric most cancers instances yearly, but 88% stay undiagnosed.
“We obtain all kinds of kids recognized with most cancers. On the hospital, we spend a median of 1,854 US {dollars} per new affected person.”
Dr. Pascal Gassant, fondatrice of the oncology unit de l’hôpital Saint-Damien
“We see between 12% and 15% of these instances. Our survival price at Saint-Damien is 38–40%, far under the 80% in high-income international locations,” Gassant stated. “The remaining 88% of kids who don’t obtain care will doubtless die.”
Late diagnoses, remedy delays, and useful resource shortages contribute to the devastating hole.
“Most youngsters arrive at superior phases of the illness as a result of they don’t have entry to healthcare, and due to delays in analysis, as well being personnel should not educated to detect most cancers.”
Challenges that require nationwide motion
Saint-Damien struggles with monetary constraints, insecurity across the facility, transportation boundaries for households, and a restricted medical employees since 2023: two pediatric oncologists, a palliative care pediatrician, a diet pediatrician, a psychologist, seven nurses, 4 nursing assistants, and a social employee.
Saint-Damien’s challenges are compounded by Haiti’s broader socio-economic disaster, which additional hinders early most cancers analysis. Structural boundaries embody restricted anatomopathology companies—important for confirming diagnoses in kids—and gaps in medical imaging, even for fundamental screenings. Households additionally battle to afford anticancer drugs, typically unavailable in Haiti, whereas blood provides are inadequate and radiotherapy companies are nonexistent.
“A rustic like Haiti ought to prioritize early detection,” Gassant stated. “Early analysis will increase survival possibilities and reduces the necessity for aggressive therapies, which we’re typically unable to offer.”
Though the Ministry of Well being developed a nationwide childhood most cancers plan in 2021, it has but to be carried out.
“Each registration for this occasion brings us nearer to our mission. Collectively, we are able to deliver hope to kids in want.”
FHACI’s representatives
“We invited ministry officers to go to our unit to encourage replication nationwide. Their response was constructive, however we’re nonetheless ready for motion,” Gassant stated.
“We want clear political will to make most cancers a precedence—by means of coaching, specialised facilities, trendy tools, nationwide and worldwide partnerships, and a devoted price range for pediatric most cancers care,” she added:
A name to motion
The oncology unit survives largely because of partnerships like FHACI, which assist present free care to households. However with childhood most cancers remedy requiring lengthy, advanced interventions and psychosocial assist, sustained efforts are wanted.
As Haiti faces rising socio-economic pressures and fragile well being infrastructure, FHACI and Saint-Damien are urging the Haitian diaspora and allies to step up.
“This isn’t simply our combat—it’s a combat for each Haitian who believes no baby ought to die as a result of they couldn’t entry care,” FHACI stated.