Every Child Deserves a Fighting Chance.
PicknPay and CABS donate $150 000 towards the fight against childhood cancer
A monumental victory for our young warriors!
We are incredibly humbled to announce a massive $150,000 injection into the fight against childhood cancer, made possible by the unwavering support of TM Pick n Pay Zimbabwe and CABS.
Because of every single person who swiped, bought, and supported the cause during Orange Month, we can continue funding crucial chemotherapy drugs and life-saving diagnostics for children battling cancer. This is what community looks like in action.
A special shoutout to our dedicated partners at the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ), who also received a generous donation from this initiative.
To the brands that led the charge and the individuals who stood behind them: thank you. Together, we are giving kids a fighting chance!
Andrea Whatman is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with cancer in 1980. Despite still fighting the disease herself, she had a passion for helping children with cancer and would volunteer at a Harare hospital, visiting young patients, reading to them, buying them toys, and cheering them up.
The story of KidzCan begins in the 1960s. At just ten years old, Andrea Whatman was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In an era where such a diagnosis was often a death sentence, doctors gave her only two months to live.
Against all odds, Andrea survived. Her recovery took nine grueling years of hospital stays and treatments. This personal battle didn’t just give her life; it gave her a unique, firsthand understanding of the “fear of the unknown” that grips every child entering a cancer ward. Decades later, she would realize that she was kept here for a specific purpose: to ensure no child had to walk that path alone. READ MORE
Meet our Founder
Leadership Grounded in Service
Today, KidzCan Zimbabwe stands as a testament to Andrea Whatman’s vision and dedication. The organisation continues to impact hundreds of lives each year through clinical support, counselling services, awareness programmes and advocacy initiatives.
Andrea’s journey — from survivor to founder — remains at the heart of KidzCan’s identity, inspiring a culture of commitment, integrity and hope for children with cancer across Zimbabwe.
Enhance Hungwe: The Boy Who Met the President
One of the most legendary stories in the KidzCan archives is that of Enhance Hungwe. As a young boy battling cancer, Enhance had a dream that many thought impossible: he wanted to meet the President of Zimbabwe. Andrea and the KidzCan team worked tirelessly to advocate for his wish, and against all odds, the meeting was granted. Enhance describes the experience as life-changing, noting that “it uplifted me as a childhood cancer survivor” and gave him the strength to keep fighting. Today, Enhance is a successful professional working in the diaspora. He recently returned to Zimbabwe for a surprise visit with Andrea, standing as a living testament to the fact that childhood cancer survivors can achieve anything they set their minds to.
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Vision
A compassionate world where children with cancer are given the chance to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
Mission
KidzCan is dedicated to increasing the survival rate and ensuring the utmost quality of life of children with cancer in a loving and caring environment.
Goal
Reduction of childhood cancer morbidity and mortality through implementation of evidence based, cost effective prevention and control interventions and providing palliative care to improve quality of life of children living with cancer and ther families
When a child is diagnosed with cancer in Zimbabwe, families face impossible choices: treatment or transport, medicine or meals. In 2025, KidzCan Zimbabwe supported 326 children through this journey, providing 464 families with transport assistance, 287 food hampers for nutritional support, and facilitating 874 critical transfers between hospitals and Rainbow Children’s Village—ensuring no family walks this path alone.
As a result of Andrea’s vision, KidzCan has evolved from a simple story-reading initiative into a robust, comprehensive support system for families across Zimbabwe. Today, the organisation is a cornerstone of childhood cancer relief, providing critical services that ensure a child’s journey is supported at every step:
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Essential Medications: Providing life-saving chemotherapy drugs that are often out of reach for many families
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Diagnostic Support: Funding vital tests and services to facilitate the early and accurate diagnosis essential to saving lives
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Psychosocial Care: Offering emotional and social support to help families navigate the immense trauma and challenges of a cancer diagnosis
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Advocacy and Awareness: Continuously educating the community on the warning signs of childhood cancers such as Wilm’s Tumour, Leukemia, and others to promote the life-saving potential of early detection
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Impact Stories
Empowering Frontline Health Workers
In partnership with the National AIDS Council and key stakeholders, two intensive two-day training workshops were held for healthcare workers in July and August.
read more
Golden Threads of Hope
Illuminating early detection in Zimbabwe’s fight against childhood cancer. Every September, the gold ribbon stands as a symbol of courage and hope.
read more
How Tamuka Beat Bilateral Retinoblastoma
At just three months old, Tamuka’s parents noticed a white glow in his eye, a seemingly harmless sign that led to a devastating diagnosis.
read more
Clinical and Medical Support
KidzCan Zimbabwe provides direct medical assistance to children diagnosed with cancer by ensuring access to essential treatment and diagnostic care. This support helps bridge critical gaps within the public health system, enabling children to receive timely, life-saving cancer treatment regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
Case Management and Patient Navigation
KidzCan Zimbabwe coordinates each child’s cancer journey from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up, ensuring continuity of care and adherence to treatment. Through close collaboration with clinicians, caregivers and partner institutions, the organisation reduces treatment interruptions and helps families navigate complex medical and social challenges.
Psychosocial Support
We provide holistic psychosocial care supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of children with cancer and their families. This helps children cope with illness trauma while strengthening families throughout their cancer journey.
Accommodation and Transport Support
We reduce access barriers to specialized cancer treatment through safe accommodation and transport assistance. This support is critical for families travelling long distances to reach paediatric oncology services.
PRESCRIPTIONS
This critical figure represents the heart of our mission: the actual treatment and healing of children diagnosed with cancer. For a child fighting this disease, a diagnosis is only the beginning; the true battle is fought through consistent, life-saving medication. By facilitating 5,529 prescriptions, KidzCan ensures that beneficiaries receive the specific chemotherapy, antibiotics, and pain management they need to survive illustrating our direct intervention in the clinical journey, ensuring that no child goes without the essential treatment required to beat cancer.
PHONE CALLS
Our commitment to a child’s health doesn’t end when they leave the hospital wards. With 2,240 phone calls made to caregivers, we bridge the gap between clinical visits and home life. These calls are a lifeline for families staying at the Rainbow Children’s Village or those who have returned home between reviews. Since our youngest beneficiaries cannot always communicate their needs, these check-ins allow our team to monitor progress, provide diagnostic assistance, and ensure that treatment plans are strictly followed, preventing any lapse in care during the recovery process.
SUPPORT GROUPS
We recognize that pediatric cancer impacts the entire family—mothers, fathers, siblings, and extended relatives alike. To address the emotional and mental toll of this journey, our social workers and clinical staff conducted 460 support groups at both the hospital and the Rainbow Children’s Village. These gatherings provide a safe space for caregivers to find community, share experiences, and receive the psychological fortitude needed to support their children. By caring for the family unit, we ensure a more stable and resilient environment for the child’s healing.