Michael De-Graft Memorial Foundation (MDMF), a Christian organisation, spreading the message of Christ’s love and redemptive power across the nation, is embarking on an exercise to create public awareness on the existence of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer.

MDMF provides timely interventions to cancer patients and connects patients to critical support aimed at improving survival rates and securing the future of many young people in Ghana.

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s germ-fighting immune system.

In Hodgkin’s lymphoma, white blood cells called lymphocytes grow out of control, causing swollen lymph nodes and growths throughout the body.

Signs and symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma may include: painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck of a person, armpits or groin persistent fatigue, fever, night sweats, losing weight without trying, severe itching, pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol, among other symptoms.

However, MDMF exists to create awareness about Hodgkin Lymphoma, educate the public on prevention and treatment methods, and support young people battling the disease.

In an interview, the Founder of Michael De-Graft Memorial Foundation (MDMF), Madam Joan Yarboi disclosed that, the main aim of Michael De-Graft Memorial Foundation is to create awareness about the existence of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma type of cancer disease that affects the youth at the age between 15 and 30 years.

She narrated that in 2017, her son was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma type of cancer which they did not know anything about.

“Through research, we realized that it affects youth from 15 to 30 and after a long treatment in the country and outside, he gave up”.

Madam Joan revealed that, at the initial stage, doctors thought it was malaria and were treating her son with malaria and other medications. Therefore, it took them a long time before he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer.

According to her, when you go to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and 37 Military Hospital, there are a lot of the youth who have been diagnosed with the disease, of which some have lost their lives.

“With my son, we saw that he was experiencing a lot of itching and rashes on him and then, cough a lot as if it was TB but, it wasn’t because he was treated with TB medications. He was losing weight drastically. He sweats at night and there were a lot of body changes on him. That is how come we got to know that it was a type of cancer that affects the youth”.

She, therefore, urged that, it is better to diagnose the disease early to treat it before it is too late and, entreated parents to take some symptoms that appears on their children serious and quickly send them to hospital because, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer is very very real.

Madam Yarboi disclosed that, Michael De-Graft Memorial Foundation support children with the disease whose parents are financially handicapped and appealed to NGOs, Government and individuals to join hands with them to support children with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer since its treatment costs a lot.

The late Michael De-Graft on whose behalf the foundation was formed, happens to be the only child of Madam Joan Yarboi.

Michael died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer type at the age of 19 when he was a level 300 student at the UPSA.

Meanwhile, the foundation has taken it upon itself to go to the various schools to educate students and to create awareness about the disease, likewise, spreading the message of Jesus Christ’s love to everyone especially, children, which is a wish from Michael De-Graft before he died.

Before giving up the ghost, Mr. Michael De-Graft stated that, “I’m eternally grateful to Jesus Christ for the great and mighty things he has done in my life. He comforted me when I had nobody. He healed my diseases and made me a new being. Jesus is always ready and willing to be there for any of us. All we have to do is open up and call unto Him, and He will answer us and deliver us from our problems. My newly discovered walk with Jesus has been amazing so far, and I hope a lot more of you will join me on this path”.