Global Focus on Cancer

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Global Focus on Cancer: Cancer Awareness Program for Factory Workers in Vietnam

Rye Brook, United StatesVietnam
Year Founded:
2011
Organization type: 
nonprofit/ngo/citizen sector
Project Stage:
Start-Up
Budget: 
$10,000 - $50,000
Website:
http://www.globalfocusoncancer.org
Twitter: 
@GFC_org
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Global-Focus-On-Cancer/175980379151538
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

More than 60% of the world’s total new annual cancer cases occur in low and middle income countries. GFC has developed an evidence-based, locally-adaptable cancer awareness program delivered directly to factory workers in order to address the issues of late diagnosis and cancer prevention.

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

cancer care and education was available to everyone?
About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. In 2012 there were 14.1 million new cancer cases and more than 8 million cancer-related deaths. Each year more people die from cancer than from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Low and middle income countries account for as much as 70% of the world’s cancer deaths. 50% of cancer in LMIC’s occurs under the age of 65, leading to an avoidable loss of productive life years.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

An evidence-based, locally-adaptable cancer awareness program delivered directly to factory workers in order to address the issues of late diagnosis and cancer prevention. We use flip book style presentations that provide basic, useful information about cancer prevention, early detection and treatment methods. The presentation is delivered by health care professionals in the factory setting. Components include: Training and capacity building for factory workers The development of a resource library within the factory health center providing information on specific cancers, screening and locally available and affordable treatment options Training of a group of workers to act as ambassadors and peer educators.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

We have entered into a multi-disciplinary partnership with a US clothing company, their local affiliates, international and local cancer control experts, local health NGO’s and public sector facilities. We use a local health NGO to deliver a basic cancer awareness program to factory workers in the work environment. The US clothing manufacturer pays for the implementation of the program. The workers will receive an education in cancer facts, including information on: Causes of Cancer Common types of cancer General Risk Factors Truths and myths Prevention and early detection Nutrition and exercise Lifestyle/behavior modification We also provide information on locally available and affordable screening and treatment services.
Sustainability

Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?

The costs of implementing the program are covered by the US clothing manufacturer. They have absorbed them into their annual budget. To grow the work, we will partner with additional manufacturers and charge a fee for GFC's services. This will fund us in order to scale and adapt the program for different regions/countries.

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

No one else is addressing the issue of cancer control in this capacity that we are aware of. BSR HER/Project works in a similar way in the factory setting teaching female and maternal health to female factory workers. We have collaborated with them using their program as a model with which we have adapted our program.
Team

Founding Story

In 2006 founder and photographer Carolyn Taylor was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After her recovery, she felt compelled to help others. In 2010, she won a British Airways contest of 10 flights. She won the contest based on a series of essays about how she would use these flights for a photo project to show that the battle against cancer was universal. She traveled to 14 countries, photographing cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and clinicians, to show the global face of cancer. In many of the countries she visited there was a desperate lack of awareness and education about cancer, and minimal to non-existent support networks in place. Along with the inspirational people she met motivated her to create GFC to address these issues.
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