The Fiji Cancer Society is developing advocacy and fundraising initiatives for the Pinktober and Movember campaigns, with a fresh emphasis on community engagement and essential patient support.
Society CEO Belinda Chan encouraged the public to support their efforts.
“Have a talanoa session, ask questions, and we’re done,” she said.
“So,we encourage people to put some physical activity into it when they decide to host an event and raise funds for society.
“I don’t mean that you host the event and don’t invite us and don’t raise funds. Raise funds because it supports us. It supports us in our work.”
Ms Chan said the funds were vital for directly supporting cancer patients in Fiji, particularly in addressing surgical waiting lists.
“We provide support to cancer patients here in Fiji, and it’s not cheap, although we have cancer treatment, surgery and chemo is offered at no cost, but in between, we provide for surgical backlogs and allowances to help clear surgical backlogs.
“The reason for this allowance is that the operating theatre is limited, so there is a long list of patients waiting to have surgery.”
Ms Chan said the allowance enables surgical teams to operate outside normal working hours.
“So, that’s where some of your funding, some of the funds you raise, go towards, ensuring that some of these women do have the surgery. The longer the delay, then it’s not good.”
For November, Ms Chan said the society CS has two major events planned in line with prostate cancer awareness or Movember.
“We have a golf tournament, which is sponsored by Telecom. Telecom has naming rights, and that will be on November 8th, so we’re still trying to finalise plans.
“We have an oncology conference in November which is from the 16th to 17th. This conference will be bringing speakers from Australia.
“We’ll have regional representation, and it would be good to actually sit and listen as to where we are in cancer care here.”
