CANSA Ermelo Care Room for Cancer Patients Launched
4 March 2020 – CANSA launched its first CANSA Care Room for terminal or bedridden cancer patients in Mpumalanga, on 2 March 2020 in partnership with SAVF Ermelo Homes for aged people. This brings the total number of Care Rooms available countrywide to 11.
Mandisa Mthembu, CANSA Divisional Coordinator Service Delivery Mpumalanga, says, “CANSA understands that specialist support is required when a patient is terminal, and family members need assistance in caring for their loved one, or when circumstances demand that they are temporarily not able to care for them. We believe that through all the stages of a patient’s cancer journey, they deserve dignified care and support. Ermelo is a relatively small town with limited access to certain resources that cancer patients and their families need and so it’s exciting to be launching this much needed Care Room. It will provide care for terminal or bedridden cancer patients with nursing care, pain control and alleviation of symptoms. It also aims to provide much needed relief from caregiving for the patient’s family, over a period of four weeks.”
“The Care Room is open to cancer patients of all ages from the Gerd Sibande District Municipality and surrounding areas. Volunteers and other community stakeholders are the true custodians of this Care Room, as they identified this need within their community and with their involvement and support, we’ve been able to make this service possible. We’re also very thankful to SAVF for giving us this partnership opportunity by making available to us the space to rent, and for providing professional staff to care for patients during their stay. It truly shows that collaboration among non-profit organisations within the local community results in a more holistic and supportive structure for all community members,” Mthembu concludes.
About CANSA
CANSA offers a unique integrated service to the public and to all people affected by cancer. CANSA is a leading role-player in cancer research and 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. Our health programmes comprise health and education campaigns; CANSA Care Centres that offer a wide range of care and support services to those affected by cancer; stoma and other clinical support; medical equipment hire, as well as a toll-free line to offer information and support. We also supply patient care and support in the form of 12 CANSA Care Homes in the main metropolitan areas for out-of-town cancer patients and CANSA-TLC lodging for parents and guardians of children undergoing cancer treatment.
Queries CANSA
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. In addition to online resources and Facebook support groups, CANSA offers multi-lingual support on WhatsApp: 072 197 9305 for English and Afrikaans and 071 867 3530 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 and LinkedIn.
