SISTERS SUPPORT NETWORK (SSN)

WORKS AND ACTIVITES

By Mary Agyapong(Co-Founder and Executive Secretary)

OVERVIEWIntroduction

HistoryVision and Objectives

ActivitiesAchievementsCollaboration

Introduction

Sisters Support Network is a non-governmental organization with the vision of empowering women in the local communities on cancer awareness and other cancer control programs.

More than 70% of the women in Ghana diagnosed and treated of breast and cervical cancers report to the health facilities at their advanced stages where palliative care is the only treatment regimen administered.

Introduction

Some of the reasons for late stages at diagnosis are lack of screening facilities, ignorance about risk factors, signs and symptoms of these cancers, superstitions, poverty and delayed referrals.

Sisters Support Network thus conducts community based training, education and screening programmes among women groups in the rural areas, churches and other local institutions in order to address some of these problems.

HistoryHistory Two people were moved by the rapid Two people were moved by the rapid

increase in cancer cases in Ghana. increase in cancer cases in Ghana. SSN formation was thus a direct SSN formation was thus a direct

response to the cancer menace.response to the cancer menace. The two are a breast cancer survivor and The two are a breast cancer survivor and

a professional nurse with 17 years a professional nurse with 17 years experience in cancer care who experience in cancer care who incidentally lost both parents through incidentally lost both parents through cancer.cancer.

The two sisters started cancer education The two sisters started cancer education and screening programs voluntarily in and screening programs voluntarily in the local communities from January the local communities from January 2007. 2007.

MissionMission

To empower To empower women in the women in the local local communities communities on cancer on cancer awareness and awareness and other cancer other cancer control control programs.programs.

To promote cancer To promote cancer health among health among women through women through education, screening, education, screening, training, advocacy, training, advocacy, counseling and counseling and support for those support for those infected as well as infected as well as collaboration with collaboration with other organizations other organizations in the fight against in the fight against cancer. cancer.

VisionVision

ObjectivesObjectives Screening of women for breast cancersScreening of women for breast cancers Education on prevention of cancersEducation on prevention of cancers Counseling and supportive care for women Counseling and supportive care for women

diagnosed with breast and cervical cancersdiagnosed with breast and cervical cancers Training of volunteers for breast cancer Training of volunteers for breast cancer

screeningscreening Advocacy for women affected with breast and Advocacy for women affected with breast and

cervical cancerscervical cancers Networking with governmental and non Networking with governmental and non

governmental organizations to support cancer governmental organizations to support cancer control programs.control programs.

ActivitiesActivities TrainingTraining TalksTalks Radio and TV educationRadio and TV education Walks and FloatsWalks and Floats ScreeningScreening Navigation and Follow upNavigation and Follow up WebsiteWebsite CollaborationCollaboration

TrainingTraining Training workshops are organizedTraining workshops are organized for volunteers to build their for volunteers to build their capacity to conduct public capacity to conduct public awareness programme, breast awareness programme, breast screening and counseling. screening and counseling.

TalksTalks Over the years SSN carriesOver the years SSN carries out cancer education talks out cancer education talks in churches, para-church in churches, para-church groups and other groups groups and other groups and institutions.and institutions.

TalksTalks We also carry out similarWe also carry out similar talks and education talks and education programmes in second programmes in second cycle and tertiary cycle and tertiary institutions.institutions.

Radio and TV ProgrammesRadio and TV Programmes Radio stations with wider coverage have been Radio stations with wider coverage have been

used for radio talk show programmes in the used for radio talk show programmes in the region.region.

Walks and FloatsWalks and Floats Cancer awareness walks are an Cancer awareness walks are an

integral part of our activities each integral part of our activities each year. As part of the walk, health talk, year. As part of the walk, health talk, screening and distribution of IEC screening and distribution of IEC materials on breast cancer are done.materials on breast cancer are done.

ScreeningScreening Screening exercises are carried out Screening exercises are carried out

after walks/floats and talk after walks/floats and talk programmes.programmes.

Where necessary referrals are made Where necessary referrals are made to the oncology directorate of the to the oncology directorate of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Navigation and Follow upNavigation and Follow up We also carry out visits to counsel and educate We also carry out visits to counsel and educate

patients on; health maintenance, self care and patients on; health maintenance, self care and coping strategies. coping strategies.

Relatives are counseled and trained on how to Relatives are counseled and trained on how to provide psychosocial support to their cancer provide psychosocial support to their cancer surviving relatives.surviving relatives.

WebsiteWebsite Sisters Support Network is working Sisters Support Network is working

on starting operations of its website on starting operations of its website where all her activities can be where all her activities can be captured.captured.

It will also serve as a platform for It will also serve as a platform for educating the world on cancer.educating the world on cancer.

Website address: Website address: www.sistersupport.orgwww.sistersupport.org

CollaborationCollaboration Collaborative activities are also Collaborative activities are also

carried out with other sister carried out with other sister organizations like Hopexchange, organizations like Hopexchange, Reach for Recovery, Breast Care Reach for Recovery, Breast Care International (GBCA), etc. International (GBCA), etc.

AchievementsActivity Frequenci

es No of Churches

No of Groups Institutions

No of People reached

Collaborators

Verbal Educatio

n 27 14 19 6679 KATH Oncology,

Ash. Regional Police, Hope Xchange

Talk on Airwaves

9 - - Ashanti Region and beyond

Screening

9 3 16 1044 KATH Oncology Hope Xchange,

Breast Cancer Awareness Walk

4 - 30 3000 KATH Oncology, Ash. Regional Police, HopeXchange, GBCA, St Patrick’s Hosp.

ChallengesChallenges Lack of communication facilities like Lack of communication facilities like

Public Address system, projectors and so Public Address system, projectors and so on.on.

Lack of funds to carry out all Lack of funds to carry out all programmes, to employ full time office programmes, to employ full time office staff, to run gingles on air, to make staff, to run gingles on air, to make adequate brochures and leaflets on adequate brochures and leaflets on cancer, etccancer, etc

Means of transportation to convey Means of transportation to convey volunteers and screening assistants and volunteers and screening assistants and other professionals to our screening other professionals to our screening centres and other remote areas. centres and other remote areas.

ANTICIPATIONANTICIPATION SSN believes that with increased awareness and SSN believes that with increased awareness and

education cancer will be reduced drastically.education cancer will be reduced drastically. To this end we hope to promote networking, To this end we hope to promote networking,

share ideas and resources with other share ideas and resources with other organisations to optimize results.organisations to optimize results.

ENDEND

THANK YOUTHANK YOU