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. 

2CM2D1B Truck drivers queue to get tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Namanga one stop border crossing point between Kenya and Tanzania, in Namanga, Kenya May 12, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

“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.