Stop jumping out of a ship that’s going to Africa into a ship that’s travelling to London.

Stop this mentality of “Jumping out of a ship that’s going to Kenya into a ship that’s travelling toLondon”.

I once heard a preacher in Africa say “ people like adding to those that have more than those that don’t”, am not very sure if this is true but sometimes I wonder.

I look around people who volunteer to work with us at Cancel Cancer Africa and am very blessed to have highly motivated people travel to hard communities and give their all.

On the other hand I have noticed so many are looking from afar to see what will happen to our trips some for the right reasons and some not too so. I say this, as I can understand that while some are a bit curious if we actually do what we say we do or if it’s safe to venture these African communities, or it they heard about it just too late, this I fully understand.

But there are those who are waiting for the glory and juicy locations, since I put up our dates for the one day programs in New York, Japan and London next year, we have been having a lot of emails and interest from mostly Africans.

There is a saying in Africa that “You did not eat cassava (Garri) with me, but you feel you deserve to share my cherry top cake?” meaning, when the times are rough we must all pull in together as we continue to work towards the glory days. 

Our trips are not for fun, but for hard work. Our energy and motivation is and always will be to help others, selflessly.

We must develop the attitude of helping others, without expecting a reward this is called a selfless service. Our passion and motivation is not based on how juicy the communities we are going are but how much impact we can make in Africa, to communities that need our service.

I use this medium to advice our youths in Africa, be patient and support activities when they are young and growing, be part of things that are growing without expecting an instant reward or a reward at all in some cases. Stop this mentality of “jumping out of a ship that’s going to Kenya into a ship that’s travelling to London”.

Our 2015/15 schedule for the next few months is Kenya in September for two weeks, Nigeria in December for one week, South Africa in March for two weeks, Ghana in June for two weeks, New York, Japan and London all three one day awareness events to raise funds for our yearly projects. Then we are back to Kenya again.

We are excited about these trips and we thank the Gov of Busia County in Kenya, Cancer Partners UK in London and Pan Ocean in Nigeria for their support.

Have a nice day, and remember, “Whatever you do for others, God will make happen to you”.

Ronnie Jacobs.

To join us email: 

Governor Ojaamong Puts full weight behind Cancel Cancer Africa, Kenya.

Governor Puts full weight behind Cancel Cancer Africa, Kenya.

The Governor of Busia County, Gov Sospeter Ojaamong confirmed his full weight and support behind the Cancel Cancer Africa program scheduled from Busia county, Kenya, 15^th to 27^th September 2015. 

He went on further to state that his government would ensure the welfare and security during the program.

In addition to the positive health programs in Busia, the cancel cancer team, made up of medical volunteers from across the world, will be carrying out breast cancer awareness programs across seven districts.

Gov Sospeter Ojaamong of Busia County expressed his pleasure in this upcoming health program and the work his team are doing to make this program a model for health development in Africa.

Ronnie Jacobs the organiser of Cancel Cancer Africa added, “ We are highly excited by the endorsement and support of the Busia governor. This support gives us the ability to make long term plans and continuous improvements in the health sectors.

For more information or to join us please email or twitter #cancelcancerafrica

African Women..What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer?

What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer?

In its early stages, breast cancer usually has no symptoms. As a tumour develops, you may note the following signs:

• A lump in the breast or underarm that persists after your menstrual cycle; often the first apparent symptom of breast cancer, breast lumps are painless, although some may cause a prickly sensation. Lumps are usually visible on a mammogram long before they can be seen or felt.

• Swelling in the armpit.

• Although lumps are usually painless, pain or tenderness in the breast can be a sign of breast cancer.

• A noticeable flattening or indentation on the breast, which may indicate a tumour that cannot be seen or felt.

• Any change in the size, contour, texture, or temperature of the breast; a reddish, pitted surface like the skin of an orange could be a sign of advanced breast cancer.

• A change in the nipple, such as an indrawn or dimpled look, itching or burning sensation, or ulceration; scaling of the nipple is symptomatic of Paget's disease, a localised cancer.

• Unusual discharge from the nipple that may be clear, bloody, or another colour. It's usually caused by benign conditions but could be due to cancer in some cases.

• A marble-like area under the skin.

• An area that is distinctly different from any other area on either breast.

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Preparations are heating up for the Cancel Cancer Kenya program...

Preparations are heating up for the Cancel Cancer Kenya program scheduled for September 15^th to 27^th 2015 in collaboration with Gov SosPeter Ojaamong the Governor of Busia County, Kenya.

We are proud to welcome volunteers from Cancer Partners UK & Omar Medicals LTD to our trip to Kenya. 

“Having these medical professionals join us is a huge plus and we are very grateful for their support”.

We look forward to saving lives in Busia, Kenya and other African countries together.

Thank you,

Ronnie Jacobs.

NB: Cancel Cancer Africa is holding a lunchtime fundraising picnic at Green Park in London on Sunday 27^th July 2014. For more details please click email.

 

Stages of Breast Cancer you must know!

After breast cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body

The process used to find out whether the cancer has spread within the breast or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:

• Sentinel lymph node biopsy: The removal of the sentinel lymph node during surgery. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor. It is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the tumor. A radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor. The substance or dye flows through the lymph ducts to the lymph nodes. The first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are not found, it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes


• Chest x-ray: An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.


• CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
• Bone scan: A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner.


• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do.
• To be continued...

Join us at Green Park London for the Cancel Cancer Africa Awareness Picnic for Kenya. Sunday 27th of July. For more info please click the email button.

I refuse to accept that 'nothing good comes out of Africa’

I refuse to accept that 'nothing good comes out of Africa’

I sometimes get really discouraged when I get asked the simplest of questions while working in Africa. In these times of the Internet when information is at our fingertips. 

Talking to a Lady from West Africa yesterday who is based in London, she was vehement that there was nothing good to go back to Africa for. Here kids or may I say her young boy was now in secondary school, getting ready for university and her daughter was progressing through school without any hitches.

She went on to talk about how minor deceases were killing people in Africa and even the rich are falling victims. She sighted India as an example, saying that if India had not taking it upon itself to improve her health system, would Africans have had the option of going there for treatments?

Her comments brought back a discussion I had while having tea with some friends at Westfield in Stratford during the week. She had lost a very close friend to Parkinson’s, just a few weeks back and was despondent about the health care her friend received while in Africa.

He was undergoing treatment in London and was well cared for by the system, until the family from Africa felt that he would get a better homecare in Africa and so he was taking back. Well to cut the story short, he died of bedsores complications two years later. At the critical stage the family wanted to bring him back to London, but no airline would take him.

Am sighting these stories to bring out a point, and my point is this, If we all look at the negative things happening in Africa, where do we expect the help or success to come from. 

There are many people and organisations doing great things in Africa, but as we all know, bad news travels faster.

As for us, we travel to African countries doing our best to help educate women to reduce breast cancer deaths. It’s a very hard task because you have to convince the countries you are going to that what you are doing is legitimate and for the benefit of the people. Anytime you approach anyone their first thoughts are, “these people have a hiding agenda”.

You have to go beyond the extra mile to convince the governments who are willing to support or encourage you, but need to be sure you are legal and legit and doing it for the correct purpose, because they too have been burned for too long.

You also need to convince organisations of your legibility and intentions. This is a normal practise for all ventures, but when it comes to Africa, the case of integrity is numero uno. So many non profits are been setup in Africa just to bid for projects and then use a high proportion of the funds for personal projects, so on this note, I do not blame the international organisations for their conceptions.

And finally, we have to convince ourselves of the tasks we are taking on. Against all odds and challenges, we really need to ask ourselves, is it really worth the stress? Is it worth putting our lives at risk every time we step into an unknown territory?

As for me, it is better to stress for something that’s saving lives or stress for money. Africa is our home and we must at all times put back into Africa whatever we have gained, to make it a better place. I refuse to accept ‘that nothing good comes out of Africa’. No I refuse to accept that. It took one man in India ‘Ghandi’ to make a change. Slowly, one step at a time we will make a difference

A manager once told me few years ago that “long lasting success takes a long time to implement”. I feel this is the strategy we are employing. We all cannot just keep looking at the negative things in Africa and shout about them; we need to do one small thing at a time

What are you doing? In Lome there are factories producing something, in Ethiopia there are factories manufacturing something, in the depth of fighting in Congo, we have factories. So we can build from there.

Don’t give up on Africa. You may be comfortable in the western world, but please give back to Africa. Make a difference to just one community and one person each year and you will see the difference you will make

Imagine a rural community in Africa were one hundred people partner with from around the world? Just Imagine. It’s not just about giving money, it about getting your hands dirty and working the problem with them. Enough of just sending out cash with no results or buying expensive items or equipments that won’t last or they can’t use.

Don’t give up on Africa, we won’t. Join us as we make another breast cancer awareness journey to Kenya in September. If you can’t make September click this link for other volunteering projects in Africa.

Don’t give up on Africa. We aren’t.

#cancelcancerafrica

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Join us on the 27^th of July in Green Park, London for our Breast cancer awareness picnic 

On the 15^th of September 2014, the Cancel cancer team would be heading from different parts of the world to Busia County in Kenya to carry out a two weeks Breast Cancer awareness program. We are all excited and looking forward to doing our bit to help reduce the number of women dying from cancer in Africa.

Show your support, send us your pictures with #cancelcancerafrica and follow us on Twitter and Youtube.

Show your support, send us your pictures with #cancelcancerafrica and follow us on Twitter and Youtube.

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