How PinkDrive aims to close the cancer care gap in our communities
To commemorate World Cancer Day the non-profit organisation went into Newlands to host free screenings and more.
In commemoration of World Cancer Day PinkDrive, partnered with the Gauteng Department of Health, the South African National AIDS Council and the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Batho Pele Breast Clinic to provide free screening and referral services in Newlands.
The day, initiated by the Union for International Cancer Control, take place on February 4 each year and serves as a global platform to raise awareness, improve education, and catalyse personal, collective and government action. Making it the ideal opportunity to spread the word and raise the profile of cancer in people’s minds, and on the global health and development agenda.
This year’s theme is ‘Close the Care Gap’, the initiative works to provide cancer education and mobilise members of the public to go for screening because early detection is key to managing and beating cancer. With the support of sponsors, aQuellè, BevCo, Ecomed Medical, Lancet Laboratories, Life Healthcare, SPAR, Vumatel and FWC Hospice, PinkDrive will be screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancer through mobile point-of-contact service delivery by skilled certificated medical/nursing practitioners.
PinkDrive with their partner organisation, More Balls than Most, is a leading non-governmental organisation dedicated to creating and promoting awareness about gender related cancer in South Africa. Together with partnering organisations participating in the community outreach, Campaigning for Cancer, CanSurvive, Headstart Kids, National Department of Health, and Rare Diseases South Africa, PinkDrive aims to bring greater awareness to the pressing medical needs in underprivileged communities. By partnering with government, public, private, and non-profit sector who share the belief that ‘early detection can help prolong a life’ and providing the medically uninsured access to cancer screening services, the organisation is leading the initiative to understand the access gap and how it can be addressed.
The non-profit’s CEO, Noelene Kotschan, said South African health care facilities face numerous challenges made clear during the Covid crises. The ‘secondary’ impact of the crisis is that on cancer and other non-communicable diseases which, over the longer term, has potential to result in an even greater loss of life. “In 2023 we will continue or mission to create aggressive awareness, improved cancer services to communities, increased cancer knowledge to the nation and bigger circles of support and commitment to be provided in SA. Cancer is on the rise and every citizen of South Africa either has or is affected by cancer,” said Kotschan.
“Cancer affects Africans across all walks of life, and it is up to each one of us to be responsible for our health and go for early screening. If we are able to act with certainty and speed to identify risks and secure a diagnosis, we can either prevent cancer or start treatment early to reduce the severity of disease and save lives,” she said.
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