Help Needed For CANSA Volunteers  

30 November 2022 – CANSA celebrates and acknowledges its incredible team of volunteers this International Volunteers’ Day – 5 December 2022. It’s thanks to the dedication, support and care of these selfless men and women, who work in solidarity with CANSA staff members, that CANSA can continue to carry out its care and support services and various activities across most parts of South Africa.

During 2020 and 2021, many CANSA events and engagements were postponed due to Covid-19 and although this year saw the return of these, Lisa Strydom – Service Manager: Volunteers, explains that the last two years highlighted many challenges faced by CANSA volunteers: “When our face-to-face events were limited, CANSA leveraged all technology and immediately started building an online presence so that we remained available for the public as best we could be. Sadly, it was not always easy for our volunteers to access or master these technologies due to factors such as not having computers or laptops at home, or internet connectivity and data, as well as the technical background to use various online platforms.”

This challenge has, however, been recognised as an opportunity for CANSA. Strydom continues, “We would love to be able to provide our volunteers with the tools they need to operate within their communities – be it with a laptop, smartphone, training and upskilling on computer software and social media platforms or assistance with mobile data so that they can, optimally, continue with their work for CANSA. “We’re operating with a business model that relies on technology and it’s important for volunteers to be able to attend meetings, training, and supervision sessions online. So, we appeal to the public and corporates and invite them to show their community spirit by helping us with donations and sponsorships of these items to keep our volunteers active in the communities where they work.”

#InternationalVolunteersDay #FightCancerTogether #CANSACares

Volunteers are an integral part of CANSA and form the backbone of many of its teams in communities’ country wide.

Minenhle Dlamini, CANSA Volunteer

Minenhle Dlamini, CANSA Volunteer says, “Doing volunteering work for CANSA is making me feel I am adding value not only to individuals but to the whole country. I wake up feeling excited and looking forward to my day because I have an opportunity to do what I have always been passionate about and that is to serve people.”

Volunteers help with care and support programmes that includes helping patients, caregivers and loved ones cope with physical side effects of cancer treatment, offering practical solutions and providing emotional support (counselling / support groups) or fundraising where volunteers work on national fundraising projects like CANSA Shavathon and CANSA Relay For Life events. Admin volunteers assist with office work at  CANSA Care Centres, virtual volunteers help with design, editing and translation of materials, while health promotion volunteers carry out health awareness campaigns, and information talks in local communities. Advocacy volunteers work with legislators, and professionals volunteer their professional skills and training free of charge to cancer patients, staff, or volunteers.

Should you, or your company, wish to assist CANSA with a donation or sponsorship for their volunteers, contact Lisa on lstrydom@cansa.org.za . If you have a skill or talent that you would like to use to help cancer patients and their families, sign up as a volunteer online or contact your nearest CANSA Care Centre.

(For more information, please contact Lisa Strydom, Service Manager: Volunteers at CANSA at email lstrydom@cansa.org.za. Call 079 695 6579.)

Published: 1 December 2022 | Last Updated: 7 February 2023
Categories: CANSA Eastern Cape, CANSA Free State, CANSA Gauteng, CANSA KwaZulu-Natal, CANSA Limpopo, CANSA Mpumalanga, CANSA North West, CANSA Northern Cape, CANSA Western Cape, Fundraising Events & Projects, Media Releases & News, Men's Health, Volunteers Inspire, Women's Health