According to the American Cancer Society, more than 80 percent of children in the U.S. who are diagnosed with cancer survive five years or more. This is in large part thanks to major treatment advances in the medical field. Children in low income countries are often not as fortunate. At present, research shows that more than 80 percent of children in the developing world who are diagnosed with cancer do not survive.

One D.C. based nonprofit is working to lower that statistic and Merritt Group is proud to be working with them to get the word out.

The Aslan Project was founded by a group of nurses, doctors and family members of children with cancer in the hope that a child’s geographic location will no longer determine their survival rate. The creation of the organization itself was inspired by the life and death of a young cancer patient from Ethiopia, Temesgen Gamacho. Temesgen was a 12 years old when he fell ill—a kind, generous, and wise young man with a full life ahead of him. When he passed away, Dr. Aziza Shad, who had treated Temesgen in the U.S at Georgetown University Hospital’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., sought to honor him by helping those in his situation and created The Aslan Project to do just that.

I had the pleasure of attending and supporting a recent fundraiser hosted by The Aslan Project and saw first-hand the numerous families and continents touched by this disease. What I also saw were more than 150 people looking to change that by supporting The Aslan Project’s efforts to get youth in Ethiopia the medical treatment they need to live long, healthy lives. It was a beautiful evening filled with so much love, compassion and generosity, and it served as a reminder that there is always more good work to be done. Thankfully, there are great organizations like The Aslan Project leading the charge.

To show your support or to get involved in their efforts please visit: http://www.aslanproject.org. We look forward to a long partnership with The Aslan Project to helping them solve this critical challenge.