Beryl Thyer Memorial African Trust (BTMAT) is a  UK registered charity, working in hospitals in Cameroon.  It  was founded by Dr Peter McCormick after he saw the effects of the aggressive and malignant African cancer Burkitt’s Lymphoma . It is more common than all other childhood cancers in Africa – an horrific and disfiguring disease which is invariably fatal in a few weeks or months if left untreated.

But it IS treatable and there is a good prospect of recovery if treated in the early stages. BTMAT pays and arranges for the children to be taken into hospital for routine investigative tests, intravenous fluids, supportive drugs and blood transfusions.  The charity meets the cost of these and the cost of fees for pathologists and ultrasound examinations etc.  Follow up consultations are arranged back at the hospital where possible but the Doctors will go out to the villages if necessary.

In 2007 the cost of treatment was approximately £100 per child.  CMaD donated £1000, covering the typical expenditure for 10 children.  After initial treatment some children require stronger high strength dose of Methotrexate, so in 2008 CMaD agreed to fund the cost of supplying this drug for 2 years at a cost of £702 -offering the chance of survival to the most seriously sick children.  The photo on the right shows the drug supply for treating one child.