Cansa celebrates 2nd anniversary of tele-counselling line
The helpline was launched during Covid lockdown to provide support to isolated patients
THIS Madiba Day marks the second anniversary of Cansa’s free tele-counselling helpline.
The service continues to provide much-needed psycho-social support for cancer patients and their caregivers.
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The service is available in seven languages.
Cansa’s Head of Service, Gerda Strauss said when Madiba was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001, his office reached out to the organisation and he benefitted from their support.
“We’d like to be there for more patients and their loved ones, as we celebrate the second anniversary of the formation of our tele-counselling service,” said Strauss.
“Covid-19 and the related lockdown magnified the isolation of cancer patients as face-to-face support was limited, and we felt frustrated that we could not be there for them.
“These unprecedented circumstances accelerated the launch of the service in 2020, and it’s been a tremendous success to date, enabling patients who live far from our care centres to access support in their language of choice, during business hours.
“It has greatly complemented the face-to-face psycho-social support we have provided since the establishment of Cansa in 1931,” she said.
Since its inception in 2020, Cansa’s professional, trained counsellors have assisted nearly 400 patients, caregivers or loved ones affected by cancer, through this service.
Cansa Tele Counselling is free and reaches people throughout the country, regardless of where they live, what language they speak, their state of health or financial situation.
Most users of this service over the last two years have been newly-diagnosed cancer patients who haven’t received any other form of support and have no one to turn to.
Counsellors begin this journey with them, helping them and their caregivers cope.
Cansa’s service to cancer patients includes stoma clinics offering support about products, as well as emotional support, advice and a free tele-stoma support service; online support groups and resources for patients, caregivers and loved ones.
Accommodation is offered to patients living far from treatment centres through care homes and to parents whose children are receiving treatment through TLC Lodges.
The responsibility rests with patients to contact Cansa for assistance.
“Cancer patients need more than surgical and other physical treatment; they also need mental and emotional support. And in many cases, where patients are struggling financially, something as simple as a care pack goes a long way.
“Please consider donating your skills, resources, time or funds in service of Cansa this Mandela Day or throughout the year,” said Strauss.
Get In Touch
Cansa tele-counselling provides confidential, professional, cancer-related telephonic counselling to cancer patients, caregivers and their families and parents or guardians of children living with cancer. Counselling is available in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho, and Setswana.
Cansa tele-counselling can be accessed via the Cansa help desk on 0800 22 66 22 (toll-free) to make an appointment with a counsellor, or send an email to counselling@Cansa.org.za
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