CANSA Newsletter – July 2017

    CANSA’s Kidney Cancer Fact Sheet(pdf)

·         World Kidney Cancer Q&A Backgrounder (pdf)

·         World Kidney Cancer Day Q&A Photo(jpg)

·         World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day Logo (jpg)

·         World Kidney Cancer Day Q&A Photo 2 (jpg)

 

First-Ever World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day Celebrated Worldwide

 

People around the world are asking questions and seeking answers to help fight #KidneyCancer

Kidney cancer is a serious disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.  However, very few people in South Africa know even the basics about kidney cancer – what causes it, how to lower the risk, or why it’s on the rise.

The global incidence of kidney cancer is predicted to rise by a shocking 22 percent by 2020. Populations are aging, known risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure are increasing, and smoking continues to be prevalent in many parts of the world. In fact, in South Africa, the most latest cancer statistics show that just over 600 individuals were diagnosed with kidney cancer – 98 of which were children under the age of 19. When it’s caught early, kidney cancer can be treated, but in advanced stages, kidney cancer is still a lethal disease in search of better answers.

That is why the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is joining forces with kidney cancer organisations around the world to mark the first-ever World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day.  On 22 June, #WorldKidneyCancerDay, patients, caregivers, health care professionals and local organisations across the country and worldwide will be uniting to raise awareness for the disease. See link to fact sheet http://www.cansa.org.za/files/2017/06/Fact-Sheet-Kidney-Cancer-NCR-2012-web-June-2017.pdf

“Making a significant difference in the lives of patients starts by increasing awareness – knowing the symptoms, knowing treatment options and knowing where to find support,” says CANSA CEO, Elize Joubert.

“Medical experts agree there is an opportunity for global collaboration to raise awareness about kidney cancer – because when we all work together we are stronger and can have a greater impact than we can alone.”

World Kidney Cancer Q&A Quiz

As part of the World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day, the International Kidney Cancer Coalition has launched the World Kidney Cancer Day Q&A Quiz. It’s an interactive, seven-question quiz that tests what you know – and what you need to know – about kidney cancer.  It’s about promoting greater awareness about this type of cancer.

“Despite the effect kidney cancer has on patients and health care systems around the globe, it is a little-known type of cancer with many unanswered questions related to risk reduction, risk factors, treatment practices and widening gaps in mortality rates,” says Dr. Rachel Giles, Chair, International Kidney Cancer Coalition.  “Not only will the quiz help teach people more about the disease, but the funds raised will be directed to a high-priority research project that will benefit patients worldwide.”

For every quiz that’s completed online, $5 will be donated to help find answers to vital questions about kidney cancer. The quiz is available in a variety of languages, including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Polish, Greek and Arabic.  Click here to take the quiz https://worldkidneycancerday.org/

Great Voice for a Great Cause

Globally-recognised celebrity and humanitarian Juliet Ibrahim is the campaign’s Global Ambassador.

“Just like art, kidney cancer knows no boundaries.  Working together – sharing our experience and our knowledge – we make a difference for the people affected by kidney cancer,” says Juliet. Learn more about the Juliet Ibrahim Foundation and the hope it gives to kidney cancer patients throughout Africa.

World Kidney Cancer Q&A Day has been established by the International Kidney Cancer Coalition, a global body of 30 cancer organisations focused on improving the lives of people affected by kidney cancer.  CANSA is an affiliate member of IKCC since 2015 and was part of the establishment of World Kidney Cancer Day through Prof Michael Herbst, CANSA’s Health Specialist who is a Board Member and Director.

ENDS

(For more information, please contact Esti Lindner, Marketing and Communication Coordinator at CANSA at email [email protected]. Call 011 616 7662 or cell: 072 529 6082. You can visit www.cansa.org.za or call CANSA toll-free 0800 22 66 22 or email: [email protected].)

About the International Kidney Cancer Coalition

The International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC) is an independent network of 30 patient organisations from around the world.  Founded in 2014, the organisation was born from a very strong desire among various national patient groups to network, cooperate and share materials, knowledge, and experiences. It is IKCC’s mission to empower and represent the kidney cancer community through advocacy, awareness, information and research.

For more information about the International Kidney Cancer Coalition, please visit www.ikcc.org.

South African Human Rights Commission – Report into KZN Cancer Treatment Crisis

 

 

In a damning report by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department and MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo will have to answer why and how possibly thousands of Cancer patients have gone without treatment being left to die.

The report highlighted that in the province cancer patients have had to wait at least five months to see an oncologist. To further compound this they patients would have to wait another eight months after diagnosis before they can receive radiotherapy. Radiotherapy being the suggested treatment for patients suffering from cancer. Totaling over a year’s wait for treatment at thirteen months.

The problem stems from the Provincial department refusing to pay for a maintenance contract on two state of the art radiotherapy machines at Durban’s Addington Hospital. This caused and departure of senior oncologists from the hospital in protest to this refusal to pay for the upkeep of the R120-million machines.

These machines were instrumental in slashing those previously mentioned waiting times from five months to a mere two weeks. With a disease such as cancer time is of the essence to save lives and improve the patient’s quality of life. This is further backed up with international guidelines state that patients should receive treatment within 28 days of diagnosis.

The SAHRC has order in the report the department immediately repair both machines and remove the current backlog of patients waiting for care. This however, has no set time frame as the department has no oncologists left in Durban and only two remaining in Pietermaritzburg.

The report goes on further to say that the department knowing of the crisis and short fall of service had a duty to employ more staff and putting in place adequate screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. As well as an investigation into the health department be done by the Health Ombudsman and Premier Willies Mchunu into whether the Health MEC responded adequately to the matter in the short and long term.

The respondents in this matter were MEC Dhlomo, Addington Hospital, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital (IALC) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, headed by Dr Sifiso Mtshali. The report states “The respondents have violated the rights of patients with cancer at the Addington and IALHC Hospitals to have access to health care services as a result of their failure to comply with applicable norms and standards set out in legislation and policies.”

17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health 

17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health: Submissions and Registration Open

The 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) is now accepting session proposals, abstracts and registrations.

WCTOH will be held from 7-9 March 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa with the theme ‘Uniting the World for a Tobacco Free Generation’. Held every three years, this international tobacco control conference brings together researchers, policy makers, NGOs, civil society, scientists, healthcare professionals and public officials working on all aspects of tobacco control from more than 100 countries.

Session submissions open

Abstracts and symposia submissions are open until 14 July 2017.
Submissions are invited for:

  • Abstracts of original research for oral or poster presentations.
  • Proposals for symposia.
  • Satellite sessions which will be scheduled outside the core programme hours. Submissions will be accepted until all available time slots are filled. Please submit proposals in good time to avoid disappointment.

Read the abstract guidelines and session guidelines on our website.

Submit sessions and abstracts here

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