With filming underway for the much-anticipated third season, much of the Outlander Season 3 news has focused on spoilers, rumors, castings, and those ever-persistent but completely unfounded rumors of who’s dating who. But one of the things that hasn’t been featured as much in the press which, frankly, should be, is the extensive charity efforts of all of the cast members.
In previously reported Outlander Season 3 news on The Inquisitr , much ado was made about the charity efforts of the male cast members, namely, Scott Kyle, Graham McTavish, and Sam Heughan. But Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire Fraser on the show, has done extensive work with World Child Cancer, whose mission is to support efforts to better diagnose and treat cancer in children all over the world. In fact, Balfe believes in the mission of World Child Cancer so much that, on her social media pages, she lists herself as an actress and a “proud patron of World Child Cancer.”
In fact, Balfe believes in the mission of World Child Cancer so much that on her social media pages, she lists herself as an actress and a “proud patron of World Child Cancer.”
And since a lot of the latest Outlander Season 3 news is focusing on what the cast is doing when they’re not in front of the lenses, we decided to sit down with World Child Cancer’s CEO Jon Rosser to talk about the charity, Caitriona Balfe’s recent trip to Ghana with the charity, and what their efforts are in 2016 and beyond.
One of the reasons that Balfe went to Ghana with World Child Cancer in Augustwas to visit a hospital full of sick children who had advanced forms of cancer. Sadly, however, this cancer went undetected for quite a long time for these Ghanese children, which allowed it to develop into its advanced stages. In a more technologically advanced country like the United Kingdom or the United States, this cancer would have been much more quickly discovered, and thus, treated. And its this disparity in diagnosis and treatment that World Child Cancer hopes, ultimately, to ameliorate.
Balfe said that the trip was an “eye-opener” for her.
“Awareness of cancer in Africa is so low that many children die without even being diagnosed. This is heart-breaking when you realize a course of treatment to cure a child can cost as little as £500. I’m really honored to have been invited to Ghana, to meet so many inspirational children and to see World Child Cancer’s work at first hand.”
CEO Jon Rosser was pleased that Balfe took the time to travel with the charity to see the work firsthand, and told us that it’s this quality that makes Balfe so appealing as a global ambassador for the charity.
“Caitriona is both passionate about, and interested in, our work. She’s a real ‘hands on’ Celebrity Patron – so rather than ‘just’ lending her name to World Child Cancer she wants to know about our work and, in this case, visit one of our projects to meet our beneficiaries and staff first hand. We were very fortunate that, despite her busy filming schedule, she was available to visit our projects in Ghana this September during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.”
With the hopes that fans’ interest in OutlanderSeason 3 news will generate interest in World Child Cancer, Balfe is leading a social media campaign on behalf of the charity called #WhenIWasYoung. Alongside other celebrities like Ed Westwick, Fleur East, and Oliver Proudlock, Balfe is encouraging people to get involved with the charity this month, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, by sharing their stories and a picture of what they wanted to be when they were younger.
“I would encourage everyone to get involved with World Child Cancer’s campaign this September. I was fortunate enough to visit some of their projects in Ghana this year and the work they undertake to support children with cancer in the developing world is inspirational.”
Indeed, Rosser hopes Balfe’s efforts and the efforts of other celebrities will push the awareness of their mission further and help children in developing countries get the life-saving diagnosis that they so desperately need.
“At the moment, children with cancer in the developed world have a 80% chance of survival; in the developing world, their chances can be as low as 10%. World Child Cancer believes this inequality should not exist and that every child, regardless of where they live, should have access to quality diagnosis, treatment and care be able to realize their ambitions and dreams. We believe that as more people who know about World Child Cancer, more money will be raised and more children with cancer in the developing world will be helped. We are delighted that Caitriona has joined us in spreading this message.”
We will keep you apprised of the latest OutlanderSeason 3 news as it becomes known to us.For now, however, leave your thoughts about this latest OutlanderSeason 3 news in the comments below.
[Image via World Child Cancer]