Hope, Art Therapy, Certificates: How Hospitalized Kids Are Triumphing Over Cancer

September 7, 2026, marked the official start of the 2026/2027 academic year across Cameroon. As thousands of uniform-clad pupils streamed into conventional classrooms, a quiet, yet powerful school resumption unfolded behind the walls of the Haemato-Oncology Department, Mother and Child Centre of the Chantal Biya Foundation, Yaounde. There, children undergoing intensive cancer treatment received new school sacks, exercise books, stationery, and water bottles - symbolic and tangible proof that their education, childhood, and dreams remain intact.

Partners With Same Vision

The event was organized by the Non-Governmental Organization, Mori’s Child Foundation, in collaboration with several partner organizations. Including Goodness for Humanity, Young Butterfly, APAGHE, and the Non-Governmental Organization, Nathanaël ÉPÉE. Together, they reopened the "Happy Class" - an innovative in-hospital school programme designed to allow paediatric cancer patients to continue their education without interrupting their medical care.

 "A child in hospital must not be defined solely by their illness. They must be able to keep learning, playing, creating, and dreaming," noted Mori's Child Foundation Founder and President, Ruth-Grace Ngo Nyobe.

Genesis of “Happy Class”

The vision behind Mori’s Child Foundation and its flagship “Happy Class” programme was forged in personal heartbreak. Ruth-Grace Ngo Nyobe, President and Founder of the NGO - which was established in 2021 - recalled that the initiative emerged following the loss of the foundation’s very first paediatric oncology patient.

"We accompanied the very first child officially cared for by our foundation, who had cancer, and who, after treatment, went back to a regular school, even though his medical journey still required caution," Ngo Nyobe shared. "We sadly lost him after a relapse due to a lack of vigilance. That loss led us to ask an essential question: How can we allow a child with cancer to keep learning while still respecting their care journey?" Ngo Nyobe stated.

Mission, Six Pillars

That question gave birth to the “Happy Class,” a specialized education framework operating right inside reference hospitals. The foundation structures its mission around six comprehensive pillars.

Such as public awareness for early diagnosis, direct funding for chemotherapy and medical supplies, life donation drives (blood, bone marrow, and platelets). In-hospital education, psychological support, and post-cancer follow-up to prevent relapses.

Flexibility Meets Rigour

Operating an academic programme inside an oncology unit requires a delicate balance between medical treatment and paedagogical structure. Simon Calvin, a child psychologist, art therapy practitioner, and Coordinator of “Happy Class,” explained that the school covers preschool, primary, and secondary levels. With instruction tailored strictly to each child’s physical and emotional health.

Fewer Daily Hours

Under this structured framework, class time is limited to a maximum of four hours daily. Which strictly begin after 10:00 AM once morning medical procedures and care rounds are completed. Lessons cover core academic subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, English, and French.

With subject and level teaching allocated in two-hour blocks. Specialized care through integrated art therapy - encompassing drawing, painting, music, and dance - is woven into the daily routine to promote psychological healing. Alongside standard learning.

At Their Pace

"Classes don't start before 10:00 AM because before then, the children are receiving medical care," Calvin explained. "If they cannot take lessons, we don't force it. Instead, we lean toward psychological support or games to give them back strength," Calvin said.

Despite these constraints, the academic standards remain surprisingly uncompromised. Unlike many specialized education schemes, “Happy Class” learners sit the exact same national examinations as students in mainstream schools.

National Pride

Last year, despite several in-patients being bedridden during exam periods, students who were transitioning through remission passed national certifications. They included two Probatoire certificates and a GCE Ordinary Level certificate. Over its four years of operation, “Happy Class” has schooled 53 students and earned four official national certificates. With the foundation targeting 10 national certificates for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Life-Changing Impact

Damé Simon, Chief Nurse of the Haemato-Oncology Service in the Mother and Child Centre, Chantal Biya Foundation, attested to the life-changing impact of the initiative. "The children are fulfilled. Generally, we have teachers who come to teach them," he said. "Each year, at least one young cancer patient passes a national certificate examination. We have even had one who passed the Baccalaureate exam and another who passed the entrance exam into medical school," Damé recalled.

Holistic Healing

Education in “Happy Class” goes hand-in-hand with emotional recovery. Through the partner association Atelier d'Art-Thérapie, hospitaliz...