Editor
Mr Anil Sookraj where is service delivery promised by Cansa?
Ever since the previous Relays, Cansa has not kept to their promises.
Actually this was since the very first Relay in 2009 when it was announced that “the money raised will be brought back into Estcourt.”
I refer to the Estcourt News, September 2013 when Annelisa from Cansa mentioned and promised our community that breast, cervical and prostrate screenings will take place during October 2013.
Well, it’s now July 2014 and where is the service delivery?
Estcourt residents are travelling to Pietermaritzburg or Ladysmith to have these screenings done.
Some are just not doing it because they cannot afford it.
Therefore, Mr Sookraj, kindly forward to the Estcourt News the total amount raised from 2009 to September 2013 when R145 000 was raised.
Also confirm an amount of about R400 000 as was mentioned in the Estcourt News, which was raised and that was given away out of Estcourt.
Please provide the Estcourt News with facts and figures so that our community will be aware of the fundraising and how much has been brought back to Estcourt.
Mr Anil Sookraj, this is not personal. However, Cansa must realise that service delivery is necessary in Estcourt since 2009.
Facts and Figures
Editor
The CANSA Care Centre, which is based in Pietermaritzburg and has four staff members, serves a vast area including Estcourt, Underberg, Ixopo, Richmond, Pietermaritzburg, Cato Ridge, Greytown and all the areas in between.
The funds that are raised from all events in all towns, including the money from the CANSA Relay For Life in Estcourt, go towards funding the programmes and services in the whole region, although of course, we do try to ensure that services are available in the towns that raise funds for us. Given the vast area we are serving, we rely extensively on volunteers, who we train, supervise and support, to implement many of our programmes. Our main challenge in Estcourt has been identifying sufficient volunteers to scale up our programmes to the required level.
Up until now, our work in the Estcourt area has primarily involved cancer awareness and screening (Pap smears and clinical breast examinations for women and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests for men).
The CANSA Relay For Life event is one of the major ways in which we promote awareness (while also providing a special, nurturing experience for cancer survivors).
Screening was also made available to all community members during the 2013 CANSA Relay For Life in Estcourt, but very few people made use of the opportunity.
Over the past few months we have been discussing the issue of expanding our care and support programmes in Estcourt with the CANSA Relay For Life committee in Estcourt and will soon be holding training for volunteers who are interested in providing support to cancer patients (both through hosting support groups and through individual care) as well as those who would like to assist in promoting awareness in line with our annual awareness calendar which covers topics such as SunSmart, Balanced Lifestyle, Anti-Tobacco, Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Childhood Cancers.
We invite members of the Estcourt community who are interested in joining our service delivery programme as volunteers to contact the Regional Manager, Lisa Strydom, on 033 342 9837 or lisastrydom@cansa.org.za so we can include them in our upcoming training.
Requests for health talks and exhibitions (from schools and community-based organisations) are also welcome.
Lastly we have been exploring the possibility of launching a monthly satellite screening clinic in Estcourt where Pap smears and PSA tests would be offered at reduced rates.
All we need to get this service going is a suitable, private venue that could be used once a month. We would be very grateful if somebody within the Estcourt community could assist us with this.
Lisa Strydom
Regional Manager
Editor
It is really sad that your nameless correspondent is resorting to the newspaper to air his/her grievances.
It is evident that he/she is looking for support from other similar thinking individuals to bring to an end a global event that has put Estcourt on the national and international map.
For me and many others, the Relay is a source of celebrating, remembering, fighting back, healing and honouring our loved ones.
Yes, it is our personal way to give back, to make a difference and stand up in the fight against cancer until a cure is found.
The CanSA Relay is not only about raising funds and service delivery.
So many cancer survivors are pampered and given HOPE to fight on.
It provides an opportunity to celebrate and remember those who fought cancer and won or lost.
It provides an opportunity for individuals to make life style changes, early detection is promoted, breast examinations and blood pressure tests are done at the relay.
The event is an alcohol, drug and smoke free event. Teamwork and family support is promoted. Walking as a form of exercise is promoted. Healthy nutrition and diets are promoted. Family groups, sporting organisations, professional bodies, religious organisations, youth groups and workplace teams are all united in a common cause.
Estcourt is known throughout the country because of our only 24-hour relay.
More children know about cancer because of the Relay than before. Estcourt Relay was given an award for the best Relay in KwaZulu Natal last year. How can something like this be bad for our town?
Like most non-governmental charitable organisations the Cancer Association is experiencing difficult times.
They rely on fundraising activities such as Relay for Life, Shavathon, Cuppa for CanSA and the Sanlam Challenge to sustain itself. The funds we raise in Estcourt are donated to the Cancer Association of South Africa for its research, advocacy, prevention, treatment and health care programmes.
We certainly cannot expect all the money raised at our Relays to be brought back to Estcourt.
As volunteers we have offered bereavement counselling, visited survivors, provided food parcels, arranged prostate screenings (twice), provided cancer literature at wellness days and conducted breast examinations and health risk assessments at all our Relays.
Our members through their involvement with Estcourt Hospice and the Health Department have counselled and screened many patients.
Madam, all our meetings are open to the public. We meet every Wednesday (6pm) at Forderville Primary until the Relay on September 6, 2014. Since you know the identity of the writer, invite him/her to attend our meetings and become part of this life-changing event.
We will make him/her a proud relayer who will be able to see a bigger picture. My committee (of which I am very proud) will endeavour to once again host an award winning 24-hour Relay on September 6 and 7, 2014.
We thank your correspondent for his/her concerns and with the assistance of Lisa will try and improve our service delivery to the people of Estcourt.
Finally, madam, may I as a board member of Estcourt Hospice request the good people of Estcourt to remember Estcourt Hospice when observing 67 minutes in honour of the late great Nelson Mandela on Friday 18 July 2014. Estcourt Hospice is also experiencing difficult times.
Anil Sookraj
Event Chair