Gertrude Nakigudde, Chief Executive Officer at Uganda Women’s Cancer Support Organisation, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“The 5th Uganda conference on Cancer and Palliative care recognised Survivorship as a critical phase of cancer care in Uganda.
I was excited to be part of the 3-day conversation that brought together various scientists, experts in oncology, palliative, survivorship, policy, and advocacy. Held under the theme: ‘Embracing uniqueness and empowering communities’
The conference kicked off with a call to enhance community-based care, building health systems and strategic leadership to promote dignity, mental and social well-being, relieving pain and suffering, and fighting for justice for survivors where mainstream fails.
In the workshop on survivorship, navigating life beyond treatment among adults’ speakers emphasized the need for creating a more understanding of survivorship in oncology practice, supporting survivors deal with short- and long-term physical, mental, social and economic impact of cancer treatment and access to justice and legal services.
UWOCASO had an opportunity to showcase advocacy through oral presentations of three abstracts and survivorship handwork through an exhibition.
Throughout the discussions, it was clear there is an urgent need for evidence-based data on survivorship to support survivorship care planning, community reintegration, provision of psychosocial, social, and economic support to reduce stigma.
Survivors cried out for allocation of a special survivorship clinic at Uganda Cancer Institute to increase surveillance adherence and reduce disease recurrence.
This conference jumpstarted UWOCASO’s energies to unpack some of the difficult conversations such as the cost of living with metastatic cancer, dealing with treatment and financial toxicities and permanent disabilities.
Join our October breast cancer awareness campaign with climax on 31st October for a public dance work out and dialogue.
Special thanks to our friends and partners who supported the survivors to attend the conference.”
