CANSA Service Spotlight – Sr Farhara Goolamnabi (Registered Nurse)

A Day in the Life of a Registered Nurse at CANSA

Tell me about yourself…

My name is Farhara Goolamnabi. I am 28 years of age. I am a registered nurse who specialised in neonatal intensive care and infection control. I have 7 years of experience in working in the private sector. I think of myself as a caring, energetic individual. I am a person that is full of life, who loves outdoor activities that induce spikes of adrenaline and gives you a rush that makes you feel alive.

I love engaging with different typesof people of all ages, because when interacting with different age groups, cultures, and different personalities, it increases my level of diversity and knowledge which helps me be more approachable for various people.

A well-known verse, ‘knowledge is power’ is my mantra in my day-to-day life.

I love nature and the outdoors, because it reminds me of the simplicity of life even though there’s an aspect of complexity in it, which makes me extremely grateful to God for everything that I am today and will become in the near future.

What position are you in?

I am the registered nurse and the Service Coordinator for the KZN region for CANSA.

My job is to provide a service which entails baseline screening for cancer to the community, as well as corporate events. My job is to also uplift the community by educating the community about the various cancers and how early detection of cancer can save lives.

With both community and corporate events as a Service Coordinator it is my duty to ensure a smooth sailing event. I arrange everything from the team for the day, the consumables used for that day, to the admin for that event.

I also provide service in consultating with cancer patients that require assistance and health education.

How long have you been working for CANSA?

I have recently joined CANSA. August 2022 will be my 3rd month.

What do you like most about your position?

I love the fact that I can provide a service to the community. When working in a private setting people tend to forget about showing gratitude and realising that they are fortunate to afford healthcare and our services. Working for CANSA I can help the less fortunate and it really does humble me as a person. I feel good knowing that I can help someone and feel appreciated so deeply by them.

What do you find the most difficult about your position?

Being the only Service Coordinator in the KZN region sometimes is a daunting experience. I must try and ensure that I can be everywhere I need be, but at the same time not turning away people due to not being in their specific area. The KZN region is quite a large region on its own and sometimes I feel like the ‘needle in the haystack’. It’s not always easy to find other registered nurses who are willing to provide their services for our community based events and corporate events.

What inspires you?

Honestly, to try to do better each day knowing that I am helping those less fortunate. This allows me to want to make a difference, knowing that I can do more good and help so many people daily makes me want to do more.

I learn from the community while they learn from me. I get to see many areas of the province that I was not experienced before, and this helps me evolve as an individual.

Take me through a typical workday in your life…

My day like everyone else’s starts bright and early. The first thing I do is deal with emails, responding back to emails and this can take up a lot of time. Each day I like to try and have a plan of action, but sometimes important tasks pop up and require immediate attention.

If I do not have a clinic day lined up for the day, I either have a corporate event scheduled or planning for a corporate event. This is also part of my many roles in CANSA.

Being a registered nurse, I also need to contact patients about their results. I also do home-base care, where I go to patient’s house, if necessary, to do consultations. If the patient requires medical help, I contact their doctors and ensure treatment is given to them. I also go to our CANSA Care Homes and participate in the support groups for patients staying there, to try and uplift their spirits and educate them on the side effects of treatment / illness they are experiencing and come up with solutions to help them on a day-to-day basis.

Tell me about a time when an interaction with a patient or the public made an impression on you?

CANSA Mkhuhla Care Home has a weekly support group for the patients who live there. I try my best to attend these support group meetings, because it is inspiring and uplifting to both the patients and me. Every time I attend those meetings, I always feel better about myself, because every time I have attended I have been able to help someone.

This support group allows patients to express their fears and worries, but at the same time it aids in motivating the patients and lifting their spirits, especially when they learn to cope with cancer and treatment on a day-to-day basis.

CANSA Service

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 offer a Tele Counselling service in seven languages free of charge. We also supply patient care and support in the form of 8 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.