Professor Luke O’Neill has helped raise €17,000 to save children in Tanzania from cancer.
The immunology professor at Trinity College, Dublin is also a gifted amateur musician and will be spending the St Patrick’s Day weekend playing in the country.
“We’re mainly here for cancer,” he told The Pat Kenny Show.
“We’re here for a charity called Their Lives Matter - we’re doing two gigs Friday and Saturday night.”
The International Trade Administration describes Tanzania as having a “weak healthcare system” and the country has high rates of child mortality.
Before Their Lives Matter was founded 90% of Tanzanian children with cancer died; now 50% survived and there has been a 600% increase in treatments.
Around 40% of the money spent on healthcare in Tanzania comes from international donors and Prof O’Neill has been keen to do his bit.
“We raised €1,700 last Friday and that will treat three children - and potentially stop them dying,” he said.
“It’s €500 for a child [to be] treated… We’ve raised €17,000 in total from various sources that we’ve brought with us to Tanzania.”
COVID-19
While in the country he has also been “keeping an eye on COVID while I’m here” and is pleased by Tanzanians’ progress.
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“Africa did very well,” he said.
“We were really worried about Africa but, overall, the death rate is lower - probably because they have a younger population.
“Age, as you know, is a big factor.
“Luckily, Tanzania wasn’t that badly affected by it - but it’s still here.”
If you would like to help Their Lives Matter with their work, you can donate here.
Main image: Prof O'Neill in Tanzania.