CANSA Care Rooms to Support Cancer Patients

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) recognises the critical need for specialised support when cancer patients face severe illness, and their families require assistance with caregiving. In response, CANSA is proud to introduce the CANSA Care Room service in Gauteng, offering respite support to cancer patients and their loved ones during challenging times.

“Our goal with the CANSA Care Room service is to ease the burden on cancer patients during difficult periods. Patients may be private or State patients who will receive care and support from staff and volunteers during their stay,” says Lorraine Govender, National Manager: Health Programmes at CANSA.

There are currently four CANSA Care Rooms, in Gauteng, for terminally ill cancer patients who are already registered with CANSA and require palliative care. They are based at Retire at Home (Pretoria), Uncle Ben’s Den (Pretoria), Residentia Life – Huis Hermon (Pretoria North) and at Kruinpark Hospicare (Roodepoort).

This service is made possible through CANSA’s partnerships with local retirement homes that have frail care facilities. These retirement homes generously allocate rooms to CANSA, and with the help of local community members and businesses, the rooms are furnished, decorated and prepared to create a comfortable and supportive environment for patients.

A former patient shares their experience while staying at the Care Room who was assisted by CANSA staff, “The grounds and place is very tidy and there is a homely atmosphere. The staff are very efficient, professional and caring towards me and the other patients. They understand my needs on all levels and respect it. It makes one feel like a worthy person and one can see that they do their work with a passion.”

Patients and families interested in accessing the CANSA Care Room service are encouraged to reach out to CANSA for more information. CANSA’s dedicated team is ready to provide guidance and support throughout the process. For the Pretoria Care Rooms, contact Cisca Loggenberg on cloggenberg@cansa.org.za and for Roodepoort, contact Isabel Gomes on igomes@cansa.org.za.

CANSA offers further support and resources to all affected by cancer by way of free CancerCare coping kits that are handed out to newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families and its CANSA Tele Counselling service. This is confidential, professional, cancer-related telephonic counselling to cancer patients, caregivers and their families and parents or guardians of children living with cancer. Counselling is available in seven languages (English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana) and is free of charge.

Other ongoing services are the CANSA Help Desk – which includes the toll-free line 0800 22 66 22, info@cansa.org.za and two dedicated WhatsApp lines (for English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana) – online support groups, WhatsApp and Facebook support groups, the iSurvivor programme as well as the iSurvivor programme specific to patients with metastatic breast cancer.

(For more information, please contact Lucy Balona, Head: Marketing and Communication at CANSA at email lbalona@cansa.org.za. Call 011 616 7662 or mobile 082 459 5230).

Published: 7 May 2024
Categories: CANSA Bedfordview Care Centre, CANSA Gauteng, CANSA Pretoria Care Centre, CANSA Roodepoort Satellite Care Centre, CANSA Vaal Triangle Virtual Care Centre, Media Releases & News