Small girl, great courage: Naomi’s battle against cancer
Archemed enables life-saving therapy and strengthens oncological structures in Eritrea
Möhnesee/Asmara, November 6, 2025. At the beginning of August, Archemed received an urgent plea for help from Eritrea: two-year-old Naomi had fallen ill with a retinoblastoma—a malignant tumor of the retina that, if left untreated, can lead to blindness or even death. Since then, Archemed has been accompanying the little girl and her mother on their difficult but hopeful journey.
By summer, the tumor had already progressed so far that time was of the essence. In Eritrea, important preliminary examinations, including an MRI, were initially carried out at the Orotta Hospital in Asmara. However, surgical treatment was not possible there. To save Naomi’s life, she had to be taken to another country as quickly as possible. Initially, treatment in Germany was considered; in parallel, Archemed looked into alternatives in East Africa.
Naomi eventually traveled with her mother to Uganda for further treatment. There, she underwent surgery and gained access to pediatric oncological care. In the meantime, she has already received her third postoperative chemotherapy session—and the treatment is showing results. “Naomi is stable, and her condition has improved significantly. This gives us all hope,” reports Dr. Peter Schwidtal, Chairman of Archemed.
From Eritrea to Uganda—a last-minute rescue
In Eritrea, pediatric oncology is still under development. Although the first structures for diagnostics and therapy have already been established at the Orotta Hospital under the medical direction of Prof. Dr. Uta Dirksen, the supply of vital medications—particularly chemotherapy drugs—remains severely limited.
Naomi’s case shows how crucial international cooperation is in such situations. “A retinoblastoma is an aggressive tumor that can spread rapidly in infants and young children. Early therapy determines life and the preservation of eyesight,” explains Dr. Schwidtal. “Without rapid help, Naomi would have had no chance of survival.”
A look at the global situation illustrates the urgency: in high-income countries, over 95% of children with retinoblastoma survive. In emerging countries, however, up to 90% of affected children die. Diagnosis there often only occurs at an advanced stage. Worldwide, around 8,000 children develop retinoblastoma every year—more than half of them do not survive.
The total cost of treatment in Uganda amounts to around 5,000 euros—a sum that seems small compared to treatment in Germany (around 40,000 euros), but would be completely unaffordable for the family.
Hope for Naomi—and for many more children
Naomi’s story is representative of many children who develop cancer in countries with limited medical options. “Our goal is for children like Naomi to be able to be treated in their home country in the future,” says Dr. Schwidtal. “That is why we invest not only in individual case assistance, but also in training, equipment, and sustainable structures for pediatric oncology in Eritrea.”
The focus of pediatric oncological work in Eritrea is initially on the treatment of two particularly curable types of cancer: the so-called Wilms’ tumor, a kidney tumor, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. One child with Hodgkin’s lymphoma has already been successfully treated locally.
Archemed asks for support to continue this valuable work and to give children like Naomi a future: https://www.archemed.org/spenden/online-spende/, Donation account IBAN: DE63 4145 0075 0000 0882 03 (Sparkasse Hellweg-Lippe).