To mark the breast cancer awareness month, KUTRRH palliative team, in collaboration with the oncology team, have been conducting weekly Webinars to sensitise people on breast cancer screening and management for health workers.
The First Breast Cancer Support Group
During the climax of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month on 30th October 2020, we extended the awareness to patients and their caregivers. This was done by launching the first breast cancer support group for the patients receiving care at KUTRRH cancer care centre.
Related: Kenyan Health Sector Wins With Commissioning Of A New 5th Level 6 Hospital
Also read: Breastfeeding With COVID-19
The support group will be instrumental in providing a support system to patients during the journey of treatment. The Support Group serves the stakeholders in the following ways:
- It brings together people with similar experiences
- Provides an opportunity for sharing personal experiences
- An opportunity to share feelings and coping strategies
We plan to continue with monthly meetings where we will invite different departments such as pharmacy, nutrition, medical social work and rehabilitation to educate the patients on different needs that come along with breast cancer treatment.
The role of palliative care in breast cancer management is to improve the quality of lives of patients and their caregivers through the prevention and relief symptoms caused by the disease and treatment modalities.
The 2020 Breast Cancer Awareness theme is, “supporting the fighters, admiring the survivors, and ever giving up hope.”
By Diana Musa – Palliative Care