Burkitt’s Lymphoma

In their 2011 Field Service to Sierra Leone, Mercy Ships helped re-establish a medical program at the local Ola During Children’s Hospital. Thanks to a partnership with medical company Baxter Healthcare, Mercy Ships is able to treat a group of young patients with a rare form of cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma. This life-saving donation of cyclophosphamide – despite high demand (leading to limited supply) – is enough to treat up to 30 children. The drug is a type of chemotherapy that could dramatically change the course of these children’s lives.

This cancer typically targets young children between the ages of 7 and 11. It is a non-Hodgkin’s cancer of the lymphatic system, and it is identified by aggressive swelling of lymph glands, often abdominal, that grow into tumours. There is a higher risk of the disease when the patient is infected with viruses such as Epstein-Barr, Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1, HIV, hepatitis C or certain bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Due to the higher prevalence of these viruses and diseases in developing African nations, the occurrence of Burkitt’s lymphoma is more common there. In these cases, often facial tumours are generated from the jaw bone.

The occurrence of Burkitt’s lymphoma is concentrated geographically in Western Africa, north of the Equator. This is also a region of primary focus for Mercy Ships to serve through their floating hospital, the Africa Mercy, which provides life-changing medical care to West African countries.

The chemotherapy drug, cyclophosphamide, produces radical results in a short time frame, with a high success rate in children. So, after receipt of the donated medication from Baxter Healthcare, Mercy Ships established a partnership with Ola During Children’s Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Many of the country’s medical programs have not been sustained in the post-civil war period (the war lasted from 1991 – 2002). Chief Medic Dr. Baion will lead the Burkitt’s lymphoma program.

Mercy Ships worked with Dr. Baion to establish treatment protocols and now supplies the donated chemotherapy drug to the hospital. Additionally, Mercy Ships covers the cost of the patients’ transportation to and from the hospital, initial diagnosis, the administration of the medication, and medical assessments.
The Mercy Ships program literally saves the lives of children like eight-year-old Sorieba Bangura. He has a large swelling on the left side of his nose and cheek. Each time he and his mother arrive at the hospital, Sorieba is examined by Dr. Baion, and a blood sample is taken. Once the sample is cleared, the charge nurse gives Sorieba an IV containing an anti-nausea drug. The actual administration of the chemotherapy through the IV takes about fifteen minutes. The session concludes after Sorieba receives a saline drip for four hours.
The results are remarkable. For most children the facial swelling reduces by approximately 50% every three weeks. The children are tired, but usually there is an absence of major side effects. The eradication of the facial swelling and the cancerous cells occurs over a series of about 6-10 sessions.

Mercy Ships clearly recognizes the life-saving value of this drug donated by Baxter Healthcare. Dr. Baion is thrilled with the results, saying, “Through the Mercy Ships program, patients are coming all the time. Mercy Ships are taking care of patients transport, meals and medication. There is no default in the program so far because we are being catered for by Mercy Ships. In fact, we are seeing improvements in the patients all the time.”

Story by Claire Ross
Edited by Nancy Predaina
Photos by Liz Cantu