Att: News Editor
For immediate release

Afrikaanse persvrystelling

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) has been caring for people touched by cancer for almost 80 years. As part of National Cancer Week, 2nd - 8th August 2010, CANSA will showcase its comprehensive care and support programme with the launch of its CANSA TLC Nicus Lodge at the Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria on the 3rd of August 2010.

View gallery - To enlarge photos in the gallery, hover over a photo and left click, on enlarged photo hover top right and click on "next" button that appears to view all photos in the gallery: pictures of restoration process and finished product.

The Gauteng Provincial Government signed a written agreement with CANSA, earmarking the “Gwaranang Building” (at Steve Biko Academic Hospital) as a paediatric oncology lodging facility in the form of CANSA TLC Nicus Lodge. “CANSA can now improve our ongoing committed support to the children and families affected by cancer,“ says Sue Janse van Rensburg, CANSA’s CEO.

CANSA assists children and their families to cope with cancer through its Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) programme, by providing Tangible, Love and Care (TLC).  This project is run in Gauteng, Western Cape, Polokwane and Mpumalanga to significantly reduce the impact of cancer on children and their families in the community and offers necessary assistive devices, support and information.

The TLC programme has now been extended to include CANSA's TLC Lodge that will provide lodging facilities to parents for the duration of their children’s cancer treatment at the CANSA Nicus Lodge.   Family members, mostly mothers or grandmothers, can stay in the building for the duration of their children’s treatment and can prepare their own meals in the kitchen provided.

Other services and initiatives include: upliftment, prosthetic assistance, training on cancer signs and symptoms, dietary information and education, pain and symptom control and ‘end of life’ care.  CANSA takes care of all lodging as well as supplying clothing and toiletries to children and parents of the cancer unit and will be managed by CANSA under the guidance of full time staff who offer much needed assistance within the ward.  By partnering with the hospital services, CANSA aims to improve the quality of treatment and support offered to children affected and traumatised by cancer.

“CANSA is very grateful for the tremendous support from workplaces, donors, churches and individuals to date, you are all helping to ensure a sustainable project for CANSA TLC in future,” concluded Van Rensburg.  A special word of thanks to the following sponsors: SAAB, Round Table 136, Kerksondermure, TFMC, KPMG, Lions Pretoria Host, Lions Pretoria Suid, Fercor, Manager Construction, Heunis Geute en Woolworths Eldoraigne.

• CANSA offers a unique integrated service to the public and all people affected by cancer. As a leading role-player in cancer research (R4,5 million spent annually), the scientific findings and knowledge gained from our research are used to realign our health programmes as well as strengthen our watchdog role to the greater benefit of the public.
• In the last year, CANSA’s 156 support groups provided a wide range of emotional and practical support to over 9 500 cancer survivors and their families.
• Approximately 2 800 trained volunteers assisted us with support services to 6 930 patients and 2700 caregivers supported over 92 800 bedridden patients (providing physical and emotional support as well as medical equipment).
• A total of 3 204 patients were accommodated while undergoing treatment at our CANSA Interim Homes.
• Over 568 000 pamphlets (available in English, Afrikaans, Sotho and Zulu) and 11 500 posters were distributed in support of our education programmes during awareness campaigns.
• We fight cancer by making the public aware of the importance of early detection of cancer that enables more effective treatment and a better chance of recovery. This is achieved by our cancer screening clinics.  CANSA recorded: 20 428 Pap smears to help detect cervical cancer | 24 908 breast self-examinations (BSE) to help detect breast cancer | 4 957 Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test to help detect prostate cancer |
  5 904 skin examinations to help detect skin cancer.

For more information, please contact Lucy Balona, Head: Marketing and Communication at CANSA - email: lbalona@cansa.org.za, or call 011 616 7662 or cell: 082 459 5230.  Alternately, visit www.cansa.org.za or call CANSA toll-free 0800 22 66 22, or email: info@cansa.org.za