The Heart of Our Mission: Ensuring No Child Fights Alone

Established in 2019, the Childhood Cancer Organisation (CCO) exists to ensure that no child in Lesotho fights cancer alone. We provide a lifeline of holistic care for children battling cancer and life-threatening blood disorders, standing side-by-side with their families every step of the way.

Who We Are:

Our Story & Commitment

Childhood Cancer Organisation

At CCO, we believe that every child deserves the chance to survive and thrive. In Lesotho, most children facing cancer are diagnosed before the age of 16, but there is profound hope: when detected early, 70-85% of childhood cancers are curable.

Founded under the Societies Act of 1966, we bridge the gap between diagnosis and recovery through a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health. We are more than an organisation; we are a community of survivors, caregivers, and advocates dedicated to saving lives through awareness and compassionate care.

A Dedicated Lifeline for Every Child

How the Childhood Cancer Organisation Started

Our Story:

Born from a Mother’s Love, Driven by a Nation’s Need

The Childhood Cancer Organisation (CCO) didn’t start in a boardroom; it started in the quiet, anxious waiting rooms of a hospital in Bloemfontein.

The Diagnosis That Changed Everything

In 2008, the world shifted for our Executive Founder, Mampho Tsupane. Her daughter, just 20 months old, was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Like many Basotho families, Mampho had to cross the border into South Africa for specialized treatment. It was there, amidst the sterile halls of a foreign hospital, that she had a startling realization: she wasn’t alone. She met other Basotho parents who had made the same journey, all carrying the same heavy secret—they hadn't even known that children could get cancer.

The Hidden Crisis in Lesotho

Over the next three years of her daughter’s treatment, Mampho witnessed a heartbreak that went beyond the medical. While the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC) provided vital support, Lesotho itself was a desert of information.

The Silence: Childhood cancer wasn't talked about. Government and medical focus remained almost entirely on adults.
The Stigma: Without education, families felt powerless. Some believed the illness was a curse, leading to fractured homes, desertion by family members, and fathers walking out under the crushing weight of medical expenses.
The Barrier of Distance: Families from far-reaching districts would travel hours to Maseru, then face the further cost and logistical nightmare of crossing the border 2–3 times a month. For many, the cost became too high, and they simply stopped coming. They chose to let go because they couldn't afford to hold on.

Mampho Tsupane

Executive Founder

From Personal Survival to Public Service

Mampho decided that cancer had picked the wrong mother. While still navigating her daughter’s chemotherapy, she began to act as a bridge. She started helping other families informally—offering a place to stay in Maseru, providing education on what to expect from treatment, and most importantly, reminding these parents that they were not "unlucky" or "cursed." They were simply parents with warriors for children.

2019: A Victory and a Vision

In 2019, after eleven years of vigilance, Mampho’s daughter was declared cancer-free. As she left Bloemfontein for the last time as a patient’s mother, she knew she couldn't leave the other families behind.

She began rounding up affected families, creating a collective of support. She turned the "culture of silence" into a community of shared strength. She made it her mission to ensure that no father felt the need to walk away and no mother felt the shame of a "curse."

2024: Making it Official

What started as a grassroots movement became the Childhood Cancer Organisation (CCO). Realizing that formal registration was the only way to unlock the level of assistance her "Young Warriors" truly needed, Mampho made the entity official in 2024.

The impact was immediate. Recognizing the vital gap CCO was filling, the Ministry of Health (Lesotho) reached out to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), cementing a partnership that ensures childhood cancer is finally a national priority.

"We aren't just treating a disease; we are mending families and building a future where every Basotho child has a fighting chance." — Mampho Tsupane

Our Pillars of Care

Trusted Partnership:

Through our official collaboration with Lesotho`s national health system, we ensure that children have seamless access to the specialized medical care they need.

Logistical & Financial Support:

We remove the barriers to treatment by providing essential transport and lunch packages for children traveling for specialized care in Bloemfontein.

Emotional & Social Wellness:

We celebrate milestones and birthdays with gifts and psychosocial support, reminding our "Young Warriors" that they are seen, valued, and loved.

Survivor-Led Mentorship:

Our network of Lesotho Young Warrior survivors who have triumphed over cancer works closely with us to offer guidance and real-world hope to newly diagnosed families.

Impact by the Numbers

53+

Young Warriors

2019

Year Established

70-85%

Early Detection Cure Rate

100%

Commitment to Mission

Our Values

The Heart of Our Work

Compassion: We put the child and family first in everything we do.
Hope: We are committed to keeping courage alive through every milestone.
Collaboration: We unite communities, healthcare providers, and donors to multiply our impact.
Integrity: We maintain transparency and accountability in our mission.
Resilience: Together, we build the strength needed to face every challenge.

"Bringing hope, one child at a time".

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At CCO, we are committed to nurturing the hope and well-being of Lesotho’s Young Warriors. We are honored to be a part of their path to recovery. Stay connected with us for vital early detection tips, survivor stories, and updates on how we are bringing hope, one child at a time.