Description
The project addresses the challenges facing cancer patients in the 4 cancer-plagued municipalities of Gotse Delchev, Garmen, Hadjidimovo and Satovcha regarding cancer prevention, treatment and social integration. The project aims at raising awareness, improving communication and integration of cancer patients in the society. First, an awareness raising campaign will be held to address cancer prevention and support for cancer patients. A local library with reference materials will be opened. Second, NGO staff and volunteers will be trained in advocacy, working with donors and volunteers and fundraising. Third, 2 individual psychological counselling sessions will be provided to cancer patients. Finally, a workshop will bring together 70 cancer patients and their families to allow them to make contacts and share experience. The project will benefit the cancer patients and their families in the 4 municipalities, the local authorities, NGOs, volunteers and the public in general.
Summary of project results
The project was implemented in the territory of the municipalities of Gotse Delchev, Garmen, Hadjidimovo and Satovcha – a leading region in Bulgaria in terms of number of cancer patients. The specificity of the region inhabited by members of different ethnic minorities and its significant distance from the district centre and the city make it necessary to help the target group. Most of the families of cancer patients avoid the topics related to the disease, its treatment, prevention and talking about it to a child. That is why it is necessary to facilitate and help these people and their families to share openly their problems related to the disease. The project aimed at improving communication between cancer patients and the state institutions the focus being on prevention, awareness, social and assertive activities. The goal was to create in this way conditions for the vulnerable groups to voice in public their problems and take actions to solve them by raising the awareness and integration of cancer patients and their children and families. The implementation of the planned activities helped the project achieve increased awareness and integration of the cancer patients and their children, lifting the taboo topic, i.e. the cancer diagnose, in the family and the community in general. The project with its diverse activities helped improve the mental health of the people affected directly or indirectly by cancer. The project promoter used questionnaires with the members of the target groups at the end of the project and we recorded more than 90 % satisfaction rate as well as recommendations. The latter will be the basis for 2 new projects and Chronicle against Cancer Association has started to look for funding opportunities for them. The project achieved its goals mainly because it brought together people with similar problems that have never before shared them with other people outside their families. The improved psychological health of the cancer patients helped confront better the battle for life.
Summary of bilateral results