AYV News
February 6, 2023
Saturday February 4th 2023 was World Cancer Day and the MEPS Well Woman Clinic commemorated the day by visiting the Cancer Ward at the Connaught Hospital with their partners and friends.
These included Hematology and Cancer Untold (HACU), African Women Awareness Association (AWAA) and a cancer survivor from Jamaica named Hygena.
The global theme is “close the care gap.” Apart from presenting health care kits and a small purse each to about 12 patients, in collaboration with HACU, the team was able to give motivational talks to patients.
Hygena spoke about her experience as a cancer survivor and proudly showed off her mastectomy scars and breast prosthesis. She told women that there was life after cancer and she’s living it.
Jennifer Renner-Thomas, Project Director of Well Woman Clinic introduced Milly Terry from AWAA as a supporter of the Clinic who has always donated breast prosthesis and wigs etc for survivors to help with confidence building. The Clinic took some food and drinks for the hospital staff and thanked them for caring for the patients. A donation was handed over to palliative care nurse, Patience Sankoh for the team.
Jennifer Renner Thomas also thanked all those in Sierra Leone fighting to close the cancer care gap and mentioned Ms. Isatta Sissay for refurbishing the Cancer Ward 2. She also praised the Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation, the Sierra Leone Cancer Charity, the Sierra Leone Cancer Association, the Cancer UK Salone, the doctors at the Oncology Clinic, the Palliative Care team, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and all those in the fight against Cancer.
She informed the staff that the Well Woman Clinic will be raising awareness on Cervical Cancer on Tuesday 7th February at the 50/50 Hall in Tower Hill, a programme made possible by an international entity known as VARIAN in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Sanitation.
The Well Woman Clinic team was appreciated by the palliative care nurse and the health care team at Connaught Hospital for the constant care shown throughout the year by MEPS.
