Financial restraints forces Cansa to close Secunda offices

SECUNDA – The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) recently closed their offices in Secunda.

“Covid-19 has impacted our income streams with reduced income nationally,” said Ms Lucy Balona, Cansa’s head of marketing and communication.

According to her, the closing of the local Cansa offices was also part of a recent process to streamline, modernise and improve the organisation in which certain Cansa care centres have moved over to work remotely to offer services within particular communities.

“As Cansa, we actively make use of technology to support daily operations, with the dual purpose of lowering costs, while forging better ways of providing service.”

The local care centre’s physical space was closed at the end June, but Ms Balona assured readers that this is to have minimal impact on their key service offerings, for example cancer screening and medical equipment hire.

“Currently, we have a ‘virtual’ service team that still offers support and care. We also have caregivers and partnerships in place.

“While we have the greatest appreciation for the enormous support by the community, we were just not able to afford the infrastructure and associated costs. Phones, printers, cleaning etc. all led to burdening the budget.

“So, we have to adapt and still find ways of servicing our community with fewer costs.”

Ms Balona said Cansa still has volunteers and caregivers in the Cosmos area which includes the areas around Secunda, Standerton and Bethal.

“We have also established some new partners that will assist us with basic patient care. There is also a service road show with our contracted nurses and service staff to visit the towns, as well as monthly clinic dates for cancer screenings.

“The planning is just impacted due to lockdown restrictions. So as a virtually supported centre, this region will still have community fundraisers and volunteers partnering with us.”

Ms Balona said Cansa always welcomes hands and volunteers.

“Cansa’s national projects will still be part of Cosmos, so we invite the community to please still be part of our Cansa Relay for Life programme, Cuppa for Cansa, Cansa Shavathon, Cansa Active and Cansa golf events. And the team is also presenting virtual events and activities, so we welcome the support. “

Mr Andries du Preez is the Mpumalanga Service Coordinator.

“I’d like to assure the public, as our valued community and supporters, that despite the tough economic times we are facing, Cansa staff and volunteers remain committed to providing care and support to those affected by cancer,” Mr Du Preez said.

Local organisations, such as the ATKV Kosmosrand branch and House of Mercy hospice, believe the closing of the Cansa offices are detrimental for cancer patients and will have a negative impact on the community, because there are many cancer patients in the area.

These organisations are also closely involved with cancer patients.

Ms Tracey van Wyk, chairman of ATKV Kosmosrand, said her team helps with the transport of mostly state patients to and from hospital treatments, as well as with volunteer work to help cancer patients.

“We sell pink broaches of hope and ribbons to tie around trees to raise money to help these patients. Our funds always go towards the patients.”

The ATKV members are also known for helping the family members of a sick person, buying groceries and clothes for the kids and to help out whenever the patient is in need.

“We also help ta child whose parent passed away, to find comfort and to understand what happened. We have comfort books that we give out to these children.”

Anyone who wants to support the ATKV Kosmosrand branch to help the cancer patients in the area, can contact Ms Van Wyk on 074 103 6381.

Ms Shirley Coetzee and Ms Ilse Cooper from House of Mercy have also been working with cancer patients for many years.

This work includes need assessments and helping people suffering from cancer with wound care and other physical assistance.

House of Mercy can be contacted at 084 337 0360 or email them on houseofmercyhospice@gmail.com.

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