Beryl Thyer Memorial Africa Trust (BTMAT)

BTMAT, COVID 19 and children’s cancer treatment

30 April, 2020

We receive monthly reports of clinical activity (and costs) at our 4 Cameroonian Baptist hospitals. Whilst in-patient and out-patient numbers at Banso Baptist Hospital, where our children’s cancer treatment programme began, have been severely reduced by civil unrest activity at our main site, Mbingo Baptist Hospital (MBH) remains high. Our purpose designed children’s cancer treatment ward and our “We Care” parent hostel are rarely less than full. Activity at our new treatment centre at Mboppi Baptist Hospital in Douala in the francophone South more than compensates for the reduction at Banso in the N.W.

Nina

17 February, 2019

Nineteen years ago, a little girl was involved in a terrible traffic accident in Kumbo. She lost her mother and younger brother in it. She was brought to Banso Baptist Hospital having sustained fractures of both femurs. Her name was Nina and she was 8 years old.

BTMAT launch new cancer treatment programme in Douala

16 February, 2019

Some readers may be aware of the political unrest in Cameroon which amounts to civil war in the North West. The anglophone secessionists have imposed “ghost Mondays” in which all public transport by taxi or motorbike is blocked by armed men.

2017: a year of change, part 1

9 January, 2018

Our senior Cameroonian colleague, Dr Francine Kouya returned from Cape Town to Mbingo Baptist Hospital (MBH) on May 2nd – after 2 years further training in childrens cancer medicine (paediatric oncology) at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town.

2017: a year of change, part 2

9 January, 2018

2017 also marked the opening at Mutengene Baptist Hospital of 2 small wards converted specifically for the treatment of children with cancer.

Retinoblastoma, the eye cancer

7 January, 2017

On our November 2016 visit to the three hospitals of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Service, Prof Peter Hesseling and I were accompanied by Prof Mariana Kruger, the present head of paediatrics and child health at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town.

“This sick be not witchcraft. Take pekin for Baptist Hospital”

7 January, 2017

So say members of our parent groups to the guardian of a child suffering from suspected cancer.

“We Care” Parent Hostel, Mbingo Baptist Hospital, N.W.Cameroon

7 January, 2017

Many people have asked for an update on the “We Care” Parent home. The roof is on and windows and door frames about to be fitted.

HIV/AIDS and Cancer

30 June, 2016

Looking back over the last 9 years the most enjoyable experiences of my biannual trips to Cameroon have been outreach visits into the bush to find children whom we have treated for cancer.

The Parent Home at Mbingo Baptist Hospital: an Update

30 June, 2016

Archive for January 2016 described our vision and design for a hostel (parent home) at Mbingo Baptist Hospital (MBH), our main childhood cancer treatment centre – for mothers or guardians of children with cancer.

A new purpose built Parent Home at Mbingo Baptist Hospital

17 January, 2016

We now have permission to proceed with the building of a hostel for mothers of children with cancer treated under our programme. The plans have been approved and costed. Land was given in 2015 by the hospital board and foundations will be laid in January 2016.

Clinical work at Banso Baptist Hospital

17 January, 2016

Our childrens cancer treatment service was pioneered at Banso Baptist Hospital by Dr Peter McCormick and Prof Peter Hesseling.

A Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Treatment Service

31 October, 2015

When Dr Peter McCormick and Prof Peter Hesseling began the childhood cancer treatment programme at Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) in 2003 there was an urgent need to develop a new treatment protocol for Burkitt’s lymphoma, the common childhood cancer – a protocol which was suited to a resource limited setting.

A brief summary of the collaborative Wilms’ tumour project

24 November, 2014

A trip to Sabongari

24 November, 2014

Last June we were warned by Prof Tih, Director of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board not to travel to Sabongari on the Nigerian border.

The mother who didn’t know

24 November, 2014

One of the things that I enjoy most about these Cameroonian trips is follow-up visits to children in their homes in the bush. It is fun searching for a child with only the village name as his or her address and when we do find a child we are usually welcomed by the whole village.

Take pekin for Baptist hospital

2 September, 2014

We now have treatment programmes at the 3 Baptist hospitals of Western Cameroon for four child cancers: Burkitt’s lymphoma, the most common cancer and Wilms tumour (protocols designed by Prof P.Hesseling) and also more recently retinoblastoma and Kaposi sarcoma. BTMAT supplies the drugs and pays the in-patient treatment costs of these children.

A New Treatment Programme for the Eye Cancer, Retinoblastoma

22 August, 2014

Retinoblastoma is a cancer of the pigment layer of the eye, the same layer which gives the iris its colour. Some children inherit a gene or genes which predispose to this cancer. The overall incidence is slightly greater in Africa than in the UK but it is still relatively rare compared with Burkitt’s lymphoma.

A visit from nurse Vera

26 January, 2014

On the morning of Sunday 23rdJune 2013, there was heavy rainfall in Cameroon. I left my residence in Kumbo that afternoon for Douala airport, and arrived there next day. I boarded Air France for Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Paris on 25thJune.

CBC Childhood Cancer Symposium “A Decade of Dedication” Mutengene Health Services Complex – 29 November 2013

4 January, 2014

Prof Peter Hesseling and Dr Paul Wharin make biannual visits to the three Baptist hospitals to encourage our Cameroonian colleagues who provide continuing care for children with cancer and to collate results of the cancer treatment protocols designed by Prof Hesseling.

Message from Dr Kouya Francine

4 January, 2014

Greetings to all friends and colleagues. I hope this finds you well. It is a great privilege for us to be part of such tremendous work, such achievement.

Motorbike Palliative Care: an Update

4 January, 2014

Our most effective treatment protocol for Burkitt’s lymphoma, the most common childhood cancer in sub-Saharan Africa gives a 60% one year survival.  We do not abandon the 40% or more of children that we cannot cure but offer palliative care and continuing support to their parents.

Steamed up for Africa

29 September, 2013

It is not often that your hobby can do so much good. Last weekend, Dr Peter McCormick and his son, Richard exhibited their steam traction engine at theKettering Vintage Rally & Steam Fayre.

A new initiative: the Palliative Care Motorbike Nurse

25 July, 2013

Palliative care is the Cinderella service of African medicine. One reason for this is that it generates little income for the hospitals. The planners/administrators therefore tend to focus on those services that provide some financial return particularly the out-patient department.

SAJOCAH – a new partnership?

25 July, 2013

SAJOCAH is the acronym of Saint Joseph’s Children and Adults Home. It is a Catholic Rehabilitation Centre situated at Bafut, a small town in N.W.Cameroon about 40 miles from Mbingo Baptist Hospital.

Breastmilk banking… again

22 July, 2013

Being long-in-the tooth, past my sell-by date, wrestling with backache and prostate symptoms, I had decided not to go to Cameroon again.

World Child Cancer Day 2013; Nurse Glenn’s Report from Banso Baptist Hospital

22 February, 2013

We are happy to announce that our WCCD celebration was a big success here in Banso. We celebrated the day together with 3 parents, 5 survivors, and colleagues from the Catholic hospital, Shisong, and the local District Health Office.

World Child Cancer Day 2013; Dr Francine’s Report from Mbingo Baptist Hospital

22 February, 2013

We are happy to announce that our WCCD celebration was a big success here in Mbingo Baptist Hospital. We celebrated the day together with parents, survivors, and colleagues from other health facilities.

Hello from Richard and David

2 February, 2013

A recent visit…

29 November, 2012

Dr Paul Wharin and the Clinical Director of BTMAT, Prof Peter Hesseling, visit Cameroon biannually. As is their usual pattern they worked at all 3 Baptist hospitals in November and made two calls at Cameroon Baptist HQ, Nkwen, Bamenda in order to confer with Prof Pius Tih, director of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB) and to check our charity accounts at Central Accounts Office.

Breastmilk Bomb

12 November, 2012

I collected two small bottles of frozen pasteurised milk from one of our banks – in fact from the most northern one. The plan was to bring these samples to England in order to have them tested bacteriologically, by a reputable and independent laboratory in England.

Breastmilk Banks – again

11 November, 2012

Breastmilk Banks

10 November, 2012

Visitors to our website will have seen that BTMAT’s most intensive involvement is for the care of children with cancer in Cameroon. The majority of our funds from our supporters in the UK and beyond, is for this.

BTMAT report for Baxter Oncology

6 November, 2012

Our Charity – the Beryl Thyer Memorial Africa Trust (BTMAT) – received its UK Charitable status in 2006, although for several years before that I had been trying to address the problem of Burkitt lymphoma (BL) in Cameroon.

BTMAT Scholars

20 October, 2012

Saturday October 13 was a notable day for BTMAT. Earlier this year we selected two medical students from Liverpool University, who had responded to our advertisement offering Scholarships for a specific research study in two of our Cameroonian hospitals.

SIOP London 2012

20 October, 2012

A week of quite intense meetings at the 44thAnnual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology ended October 9th. Prof Hesseling came from Capetown, Dr Francine and Nurse Vera came from Cameroon; the latter on a well-deserved SIOP Scholarship. BTMAT Trustees Peter and Paul were also there.

Dr Francine’s graduation

2 July, 2012

Dr Francine is our ‘Ace’ doctor in Cameroon. She arrived in Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) – having been head-hunted by the Cameroon Baptists – in 2001. At that time she spoke no English.

Message from Mbingo

27 May, 2012

A tropical storm is raging. I am working in our registry office slightly uphill from the hospital and water is pouring down the steps outside. Lightning crashed nearby a few minutes ago. The power is off and the hospital generator has started just outside my window. Even so the noise of the rain drowns that of the generator. This is the rainy season and dirt roads can become very difficult at this time of year. Fortunately our journey from here to Bamenda and then south again is entirely on tarmac.

Message from Prof Hesseling

26 May, 2012

Thank you all for your hospitality, enthusiasm and support which we experienced during our recent visit.

Of computers and palm oil

17 May, 2012

As usual I am experiencing internet connection problems here in Cameroon I arrived at Douala airport earlier than usual last Saturday and passed through in daylight without hindrance.

Of drive shafts and parent support

17 May, 2012

On Thursday 10th Prof Peter Hesseling and I travelled from Nkwen, Bamenda (Baptist HQ) to Kumbo (Banso Baptist Hospital). This is a journey which used to take 3 and a half hours because the road has 4 dirt sections.

More on mobile phones

16 May, 2012

London Marathon 2012

23 April, 2012

I have never seen the London Marathon live before. Only seen it on TV. Today I was there, with friends and family, to watch it live.

North-west Cameroon Parents Organisation

18 April, 2012

The results of our Burkitt lymphoma treatment programme under the clinical direction of Prof Peter Hesseling and supported by BTMAT are acknowledged as the best recorded in small resource limited hospitals in subSaharan Africa.

BTMAT’s Marathon girl

17 April, 2012

Palliative care

15 April, 2012

We try hard to cure as many of our child cancer patients as we can.

Prof Hesseling comes to Warkton

14 April, 2012

Our Clinical Director has family in Rugby; his daughter Sonella has recently had her first child. Prof Peter and his wife came to visit them there.

SIOP CAPE TOWN 2012

14 April, 2012

Major child cancer congresses organised by the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), are held annually, in different host countries. Continental, smaller SIOP congresses are also held. The most recent was in Cape Town, March 19 – 24. Trustee Dr Paul Wharin and I were there.

Thank you Jiv Daya Foundation

1 February, 2012

BTMAT’s project about the use of mobile phones as a useful means of following up children with cancer in rural Cameroon has already been mentioned in this website. In 2010 Prof Hesseling and I met people representing the American organisation called Jiv Daya Foundation at a child cancer congress in Boston, USA.

Thank you World Child Cancer

31 January, 2012

You will find reference to World Child Cancer elsewhere in this website. It is a British charitable organisation younger than our own, but bigger, mightily supported by influential people, and global in its reach.

From the World Child Cancer newsletter

12 January, 2012

“Our success at increasing our income last year means that we are able to launch new projects. Funding will start this month for a new project in Cameroon led by Professor Hesseling from South Africa. In March Professor Tim Eden, Medical Trustee, and other colleagues will visit Bangladesh to develop a new project in Dhaka which will be twinned with hospitals in Vancouver and London. We are also developing a project in thePacific Islandswith the support of medics in New Zealand and our excellent fundraising committee in Auckland.”

Wheelchair appeal

11 January, 2012

Once again the good folk of Northamptonshire have come to the aid of the Trust.

A Study into the causes of delay in the referral and early diagnosis and treatment of BL in Cameroon

28 December, 2011

A study into the relationship of Sickle Cell Anaemia and BL.

28 December, 2011

The proposed launch of a treatment protocol for children with the eye cancer called Retinoblastoma

28 December, 2011

The proposed launch of a treatment protocol for the management of children with the HIV related cancer called Kaposi Sarcoma

28 December, 2011

Is it witchcraft?

24 December, 2011

We have treated over 700 children with Burkitt’s lymphoma at the 3 Baptist hospitals of N.W. and S.W. Cameroon. The one year survival of these children is over 60%: relapse rate after one year is less than 5%.

Newsletter

24 December, 2011

Many of you will remember the “Beryl Thyer Bulletin”. Peter McCormick’s sons Richard and David – now trustees – have created this website where you can find up to date news of our children’s cancer treatment programmes at the 3 Baptist Hospitals in Cameroon.

A message from Dr Francine

23 December, 2011

One Sunday in Mbingo

4 December, 2011

Yesterday Prof Hesseling and I attended a meeting of The N.W. Cameroon Parent Organisation (i.e., parents of children with cancer) here at Mbingo – which we helped to establish in May of this year.

Brief messages from Dr Paul in Cameroon

3 December, 2011

Sock Monkeys from St Andrew’s

2 December, 2011

St Andrew’s C of E Church, Kettering, is one which was represented at the Synod I spoke at in September (see ‘help from on high’). The clergy and congregation there have responded, and have certainly put heart and soul into helping our Trust.

WANTED – WHEELCHAIRS

29 November, 2011

Wheelchairs are always needed in our Cameroonian hospitals. I have observed some pretty ropey ones donated from the North American continent.

’Arf a sixpence

18 November, 2011

When I was 14, and wide-eyed at the novelty of puberty, all of 58 years ago, I studied ‘Kipps’, by HG Wells, for O Level English Lit., at Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys, Whitworth Street, Manchester.

Elli is interested

18 November, 2011

Dr Ellionora Orpelli is something else again! Elli was a friend of my wife Jenny; a live wire, a bundle of fun, and a highly respected locum doctor at Jenny’s practice. Elli has always declared an interest in the work of BTMAT, and BTMAT has cherished its link with Elli, in the hope that one day, this admirable Italian doctor, might indeed commit in some voluntary way, to our work in Cameroon.

Lorreta in London

17 November, 2011

CCLGPODC sounds like a Welsh village, but in fact is the ‘Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group; Paediatric Oncology in Developing Countries’.

SIOP Auckland

12 November, 2011

After spending the last days of October and the first days of November at the 43rd Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in Auckland New Zealand, I am full of admiration for what the organisers achieved; a balance of scientific advances in the developed world and down-to-earth simple issues directed at developing world countries; with social events and a gala dinner thrown in for good measure.

Expect… attempt

6 October, 2011

Dr Paul Wharin, a retired family doctor in Kettering, and a neighbour of Peter, is a solid Christian in the Baptist tradition, and an active and highly respected Trustee of BTMAT.

Acclaim from Gipsy Lane

29 September, 2011

The enthusiasm of Dr Peter McCormick’s ‘Caring for Children with Cancer in Africa’ event at Thorpe Malsor Church was fantastic.

Help from on high…

23 September, 2011

The Anglican clergy in Northamptonshire north, have been burdened regarding their Healing Ministry. They planned a Synod, and looked for a speaker; my name came out of the clerical hat.

Were you there?

23 September, 2011

I have recently discovered a new hymn; heard it twice on Radio 4, (act of worship; 9.45am; LW only). Subsequently found in the Anglican Hymn book; liked the combination of humanitarian and Christian ethics in it.

Livewires

20 September, 2011

‘Livewires’ is the name given to a young people’s group at the Baptist Church in Kettering; the home town of BTMAT.

One that got away…

20 September, 2011

Sadly, not every story from Africa has a happy ending; especially in dealing with child cancer. The following events happened earlier in 2011.

Concert at Thorpe Malsor church

5 September, 2011

The Rector and Churchwardens of Thorpe Malsor C of E Church, Northamptonshire, invited us to arrange a musical concert in the Church. This took place on August 27th.

Little boxes

17 August, 2011

Redcoat Kamino is a small Shipping agency, with its warehouse in Crawley, West Sussex. The company has been helpful, generous and courteous to a fault for BTMAT. We have used their services twice a year for the past decade; the last occasion was August 11th2011.

BTMAT at the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP)

25 July, 2011

The International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) is a world-wide organization of doctors, nurses, medical scientists, and parents of children with cancer. There are continental and country conferences on a yearly basis, where ideas, experiences and research results are presented and discussed.

Forthcoming events

23 July, 2011

Two concerts are coming soon. We hope that a fair sum of money will come BTMAT’s way as a result.

BTMAT affiliated with World Child Cancer

20 July, 2011

BTMAT is proud to announce that we are now affiliated withWorld Child Cancer, a fairly new charitable organisation dedicated to the increasing problem of child cancer in developing countries, where only one in 10 survives compared to eight in 10 in developed countries.

Brief Report by Dr Paul Wharin

26 June, 2011

I visited Cameroon May 17thto 31st. The pattern of my visiting has now fallen into biannual trips, May and December with our clinical Director, Prof Peter Hesseling, Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Oncology at Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, S. Africa. For the first 3 days of this visit we were accompanied by Prof Mariana Kruger. Her particular interest is in the establishment of a retinoblastoma treatment programme at Mbingo Baptist Hospital. Again I carried drugs for the Burkitt’s programme and a smaller quantity of drugs to treat retinoblastoma and Kaposi’s sarcoma under new protocols which have yet to be ratified by the Institutional Review Board of the Baptist hospitals. I passed through customs at Douala without hindrance.