CANSA Invites Public to Call to Action Against NCDs
21 August 2019 – As a member of the SA Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, CANSA is dedicated to improving non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention and control worldwide. As part of the second ‘Global Week for Action on NCDs’ (2 – 8 September), CANSA invites the public to participate in taking action against NCDs by joining an event on 6 September in Soweto. The aim is to educate about lowering the risk for cancer, heart diseases, respiratory diseases and diabetes to enable healthy living for all.
All are invited to join CANSA in the call to action – ENOUGH against NCD’s – at the Green Outdoor Gym SA, in Gardens, Soweto on 6 September 2019 from 9:00 to 13:00. They can also take part in a Commemorative Walk.
Nonhlanhla Duba, CANSA’s Clinical Health Specialist in Advocacy, says, “NCDs are the number one cause of death and disability worldwide. Cancer, cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes account for two out of three deaths. The global epidemic of NCDs is widely acknowledged as a major development challenge in the 21st Century and a significant threat to achieving the internationally agreed upon developmental goals. NCDs are already a major burden in South Africa. Further, NCDs impose years of disability on those affected and their families. Immediate interventions are needed to promote health, prevent diseases, provide screening and share essential information for lifestyle modification.”
Gerda Strauss, CANSA’s Head: Service Delivery adds, “CANSA is excited to be part of this initiative and offering screening as we believe early detection is critical and improves treatment outcomes. We’ll be doing healthy lifestyle risk assessments, BMI, weight management and giving advice on leading a balanced lifestyle to lower the cancer risk. And we’ll also promote anti-tobacco education using the Smokelyzer device – carbon monoxide is an invisible, odourless, toxic gas that is formed during tobacco smoking and can be measured in the exhaled air of smokers using the Smokerlyzer. It helps to measure harm caused by an individual smoking or from being exposed to someone else smoking.”
Refreshments will be on sale and those wanting to exhibit or take a stand at the event can contact Munnik Marais at mmarais@cansa.org.za – they can also raise awareness on social media platforms using the hashtag #enoughNCDs and share the following message: ‘We’re standing with @NCDAlliance and the global #NCDs movement demanding our health. our right. right now. and saying ENOUGH. of preventable suffering. It’s time to act on #NCDs and #HealthForAll’. More information is available at enoughncds.com
CANSA strives to educate the public on how to lower risk for cancer and lead a balanced lifestyle. In 2018 the first Global Week for Action on NCDs focused on the broad Our Health. ‘Our Right. Right Now’. theme, prior to the third United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs. The 2019 theme is ‘Ensuring healthy lives for all: NCDs and Universal Health Coverage’, to ensure NCD dimensions and priorities are integrated into universal health coverage in preparation to the UN HLM on Universal Health Coverage (23 September).
For more information, please contact Nonhlanhla Duba at CANSA at email nduba@cansa.org.za or call 011 616 7662 or mobile 083 200 1122.
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.
