Invest in Wellbeing Despite COVID

24 June 2021: Corporate Wellness Week takes place in South Africa from 6 to 10 July 2021 and CANSA encourages employers to take this opportunity to assist employees by asking them to identify health risks using CANSA’s online Lifestyle Risk Assessment.

#CANSAwellness #CANSAscreenings #CANSAcares

Image taken prior to COVID-19

Adele Burger, CANSA’s Service Manager Stoma and Wellness Programme, says “At a time when physical distancing is encouraged and hosting host face-to-face employee wellness events are limited, it’s important that we continue educating and offering tools to help workforces be aware of their cancer risk. Cancer affects anyone regardless of age, ethnicity or gender however, some people are at greater risk than others. Part of cancer risk could include things outside your control, like a family history of cancer and a genetic predisposition to cancer. Despite this, there are cancer risk factors that are adjustable and can be controlled by us. It’s estimated that 30-50% of cancer cases may be preventable by modifying our lifestyles to lower the risk. There are simple things we can do to reduce our risk for cancer and this tool is intended to help highlight some of those areas where our behaviours can impact our cancer risk.”

“The tool ensures anonymity and is available for free on our website giving employees’ peace of mind, from needing time long hours out of the office. It’s a series of questions to assess your current risk and give you information about how to lower your cancer risk and promote early detection of cancer, which is key to patients responding to treatment and having a better chance of recovery, or remission, from cancer,” adds Burger.

CANSA offers a comprehensive service with the Lifestyle Risk Assessment and produces a profile of the company or business’ risk profile after each employee completes the assessment. In this way, employers can help ensuring employees are aware of the changes they can make to lower the risk of cancer and other non-communicable diseases like heart diseases and diabetes.

Burger explains that employees can be healthy and productive – a healthier workforce is less disruptive, with employees needing less time off and feel cared for and valuable to their employers, and more motivated. Should an employee be diagnosed, CANSA offers holistic care and support to them and loved ones from the time of diagnosis to through all phases of need.

There has also been an increase in people putting off going for check-ups as they do not want to visit healthcare facilities during COVID. Cancer is however still prevalent and regular examinations should be carried out. CANSA’s risk reducing screening services are available to companies and workplaces with strict COVID protocols in place and its CANSA Care Centres offer cancer screenings countrywide.

In addition to the Lifestyle Risk Assessment, CANSA’s Wellness programmes offer blood pressure tests; Clinical Breast Examinations (to detect breast lumps); Pap Smears (liquid based cervical cancer screening test for early diagnosis); Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests (a blood test to assist with detecting prostate abnormalities); FotoFinder examinations (mole mapping dermoscope device to examine moles and spots on skin) and a Faecal occult home testing kit (to help indicate a growth/ inflammation/ bleeding in digestive system, possibly colorectal cancer). Further services include health talks, exhibitions and presentations. View video about the CANSA Wellness programme…

Burger concludes, “Besides screening at CANSA Care Centres, we offer early detection programmes where cancer screenings are conducted at pharmacies and community centres in controlled environments ensuring physical distancing, wearing of masks and sanitisers. A small fee is charged to assist with the cost of the equipment needed to conduct the screening. Medical aid patients can submit a claim to their medical aid once they have paid for the screening.”

Find out more on https://cansa.org.za/screening-services/

(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: 1 July 2021 | Last Updated: 2 August 2021
Categories: Media Releases & News, Men's Health, Women's Health