UCRF Cancer Knowledge, Attitude, Belief and Practice (KABP) Survey

 

Uganda Cancer Research Foundation (UCRF) launches an online national-wide knowledge, attitude, belief and practice (KABP) survey.

The purpose of the survey is to:

• Determine public knowledge/awareness of risk and preventive factors for cancer
• Assess beliefs about cancer
• Assess knowledge of early signs/symptoms of cancer
• Enroll new UCRF volunteers who will be trained to disseminate this information

We are calling out individuals and organizations to fill in this online tool to enable proper alignment of awareness information.

Data collection will be on-going as we gather knowledge and recruit volunteers.

For more information click the link below to start your 8 minutes survey.

Click here: https://forms.office.com/r/3T2ebxSWxU

 

UCRF volunteers joined the 2022 Cancer Run to raise funds for Cancer Ward

Today, the 4th Day of September, I joined the Uganda Cancer Run 2022 organized by the Rotary Club of Uganda to raise funds for building the state of art hospital for cancer at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. In participation was Resty Nabaggala, also a UCRF volunteer. The Uganda Cancer Run has been conducted since 2012 to raise funds for a cancer ward.

This year's run attracted close to 40,000 runners from over 35 towns and countries with the aim of building bunkers, which will house the modern cancer screening and testing machines. The ward that was first handed to the hospital by Rotary in 2017 provides service that include cancer checkeups, detection, and treatment.

11 runs have been organized, and the funds raised have been able to support the construction of 36 bed cancer ward worth UGX 1.5 billion. The run was flagged off by RI President Jennifer Jones.

Participating in the Cancer Run has been an eye opener regarding the urgent need for cancer services in Uganda. I noted a dire need for cancer awareness messages. For example, there was no booth for “information about cancer, and what runners should stay tuned for” until the next run. I noted that many people are still stereotyped and fear to take voluntary tests or share their experience. This is a space my new volunteer group -UCRF - short for Uganda Cancer Research Foundation- can fill.

UCRF could amplify the message some cancers are caused by behaviors that people can change to reduce their risk; that although cancer is usually fatal, it needn’t be so if it is detected and treated correctly and early. I also learned that even when cancer is not cured, the journey needn’t be painful or lonely.  These are the values I will be working on as we REBUILD and REFOCUS UCRF.

UCRF value product is cancer awareness led by volunteers who are passionate about cancer. I commit myself to establish a strong link between UCRF and the Cancer Run. UCRF to disseminate cancer information.

UCRF will take on the exercise of registering volunteers who will take charge of the cancer awareness outreaches. So far, three volunteers have been registered. Look out for the call for volunteering opening soon.

Join me as I work to bring a positive message about cancer to our people.

#Nomorecance

Starting my journey as a UCRF volunteer

My name is Mariah Kizza. I live in Kampala, Uganda the central business district. I hold a bachelors' degree in development studies and a Master of Science Degree in Development Economics. I am a rural development economist, Gender, Youth, Inclusion, environment, social safeguards expert. I have a passion to serve and change lives.

Three years ago, I joined a fundraising campaign of my friends Agnes Naiga who had a late diagnosis of a breast cancer. I observed the pain she went through and how she cared for her 2 children in pain and her fear of losing her life and leave her children. It was the first time I came close to cancer. Agnes painfully left us this April after a failed treatment in the UK and spending a lot of money to address the ailment.

Caption: Agnes during her happy days last Christmas holiday

It has been a while without a voluntary service to create awareness and influence behavioral change. The last was in 2009 with THETA under the PMTCT and HIV/AIDS project among the children, youth and couples. So, on 12th day of August 2022, I decided to join the Uganda Cancer Research Foundation (UCRF) as a volunteer. 

UCRF was founded in 2008 as a Foundation that will help people in Uganda and elsewhere get timely and accurate information about cancer.  Despite of UCRF's timely vision and initial success, the Vision of UCRF has faltered through lack of visionary volunteers with necessary leadership and management capabilities. That is why i take on yet another adventurous yet critical voluntary role to rebuild and refocus UCRF so it can shine again. 

Just like Agnes, there are many people suffering from cancer but have never come out to tell of their experience. With the desire to learn more about how I can contribute and help many of my friends, I needed a platform to start with. In July, a colleague Martin, also a resident of Kampala Uganda knowledgeable about UCRF introduced me to this community.

I intend to gather a lot of information through simple research and use the platform at UCRF to capture and tell many stories and create awareness about cancer so as to reduce its impact on those who are affiliated.

Moreover, UCRF promoters believed that anyone can be touched regardless of the status in life, and, similarly, that everyone can contribute by sharing their experiences, kindness, information to help a fellow Ugandan deal with this problem.  

Join me during the upcoming weeks and months as I share my contribution and many stories. Your role can be referral and participation to tell the story.

Let's go!