At the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit in 2009 we initiated a global call for Commitments in the fight against cancer. Nearly 300 organizations, individuals, leaders and corporations made formal Commitments. As a way of highlighting their immense efforts in battling this disease, we will feature a different organization each week, sharing stories of progress and success from around the globe.

PLWC Training Class

This week takes us to Cape Town, South Africa where the organization People Living With Cancer (PLWC) is helping connect cancer patients with volunteers to offer support and hope. The stigma of cancer in South Africa is a difficult hurdle to overcome and PLWC is helping to break down walls by focusing on sustainable delivery systems we hope to provide much-needed support service to especially previously disadvantage patients diagnosed with cancer being treated in state hospitals across South Africa.

PLWC’s commitment for the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit was to provide support to the underserved by having patients referred to a toll-free line to offer effective peer-to-peer cancer buddy support across South Africa. The cancer buddies provide hope to newly diagnosed patients and increase patient compliance to treatment. The education process assists in changing attitudes and myths around cancer in South Africa. The toll-free line also identifies national trends that can be used to motivate and plan for further services in South Africa. By building a national database of patients and caregivers phoning in and contacting our website and branches nationally, they are able to contribute to gathering much-needed statistics regarding the needs cancer patients and family caregivers are struggling with cancer related issues.

Below is an amazing quote from a cancer buddy that recently finished the training program:

“I only realized when I was sharing with other trainees that I shifted the attention away from cancer into work after I was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. The week-end gave me a chance to reflect on how I felt then and also during and after chemo, surgery and radiotherapy. I was lucky in that I consulted a Psychologist before surgery; she gave me confirmation that I was stronger than cancer. Somehow I walked over it all this time…”

LIVESTRONG proudly supports the PLWC’s efforts, and we look forward to sharing their continued success.