CANSA Making Mandela Day Count for cancer Survivors
This year marks 100 years since Nelson Mandela’s birth #Mandela100, and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is making Nelson Mandela International Day, 18 July 2018 count for cancer Survivors.
“Our staff and volunteers country-wide, are appealing for donations towards CANSA Care packs to deliver to cancer patients at local hospitals, CANSA Care Homes and CANSA TLC Lodges on 18 July and during the course of that week. CANSA is hoping to deliver a minimum of 100 Care packs per Care Centre,” says CANSA Head of Service Delivery, Gerda Strauss.
Strauss continues, “Cancer is a huge burden to bear, but many cancer patients have the added burden of poverty to bear as well. We aim to bring relief and inspire Hope through our CANSA Care packs. We also welcome donations at local CANSA Care Centres http://www.cansa.org.za/cansa-care-centres-contact-details/, and also enquire regarding participating in visits to patients.”
Items required to assemble CANSA Care packs include facecloths, soap, hand sanitiser, toothbrush, pocket tissues and a juice bottle. A full list can be found on the CANSA website – http://www.cansa.org.za/cansas-care-support/cansas-mandela-day-wish-list/.
CANSA is requesting assistance to help with the running of local CANSA Care Homes http://www.cansa.org.za/cansas-care-support/cansa-care-homes/. Items may be donated or services volunteered to enable cancer Survivors staying at Care Homes to receive optimum care. Detailed wish lists for CANSA Care Homes are on http://www.cansa.org.za/cansas-care-support/cansas-mandela-day-wish-list/
CANSA provides home-away-from-home accommodation to patients undergoing cancer treatment at oncology clinics, far from their homes. Guests at CANSA Care Homes are mainly radiation patients due to the daily demand of treatment and stay for an average of six to eight weeks. Patients receive nutritious meals and transport to and from treatment centres.
Strauss concludes, “Our Survivors and patients, especially the little and younger ones would also be so happy to receive any messages of hope or words of inspiration as part of their care packs.”
Those who are not able to spend time with CANSA on the day, or contribute towards CANSA Care Packs, are welcome to make a general donation, which will be used towards support programmes for patients. https://www.givengain.com/cause/1056/campaigns/12927/donate/
Visit www.cansa.org.za or contact the nearest CANSA Care Centre, call CANSA toll-free 0800 22 66 22 or email: info@cansa.org.za. CANSA offers multi-lingual support on WhatsApp: 0721979305 for English and Afrikaans and 0718673530 for Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho and Siswati. Follow CANSA on Twitter: @CANSA (http://www.twitter.com/CANSA), join CANSA on Facebook: CANSA The Cancer Association of South Africa and follow CANSA on Instagram: @cancerassociationofsouthafrica.