People diagnosed with cancer have to face financial, physical, and emotional challenges, including frequently coming in for treatment, sometimes several times a week even when they are fatigued and debilitated.
The Oncology Outreach Service a project by The Marigold Foundation in collaboration with the Oncology Hospital Sir Anthony Mamo, aims to make the patients’ journey easier, more comfortable, and cost-effective. This comprehensive program offers a range of services to support cancer patients and their families and will significantly positively impact their quality of life.
Michelle Muscat, Chair of The Marigold Foundation and leader of the Pink October Movember Campaign 2023 announced this today during a press conference. This project will be carried out with the funds collected from the general public during last October and November.
It will provide cancer patients with in-home treatment services including holistic assessments of the patients’ needs and challenges. It will provide oncology supportive therapies and procedures like maintenance of port-a-cath and blood sampling and it will offer physical, emotional, nutritional and psychological support and advice to cancer patients and their families.
The Marigold Foundation is pleased to be able to initiate this service by providing the necessary vehicle and help coordinate these services with the Oncology Department.
Dr Danica Marmara Cancer Pathways Director, Dr Nick Refalo Clinical Chair of SAMOC and gynaecologist Dr. Kristelle Von Brockdorff , described how such services will offer holistic support to cancer patients and their families and will reduce the financial burden on the health system of cancer treatment by providing cost-effective home services. These services will also free up bed spaces and time slots in SAMOC and provide cancer treatment in the comfort of one’s familiar surroundings. This will lighten disturbance in the patient’s and family’s life routine and schedules and reduces time spent in hospital and travel.
Dr Marmara, Dr Refalo and Dr Von Brockdorff stressed the importance of this Campaign in raising awareness and educating the public and in enabling such important projects to become a reality. This project in fact follows hot on the procurement of a state of the art ultra sound machine enabling brachatherapy to be provided in Malta, which machine was donated to Samoc by The Marigold Foundation last October.
Spearheaded and coordinated by The Marigold Foundation, The Annual Nationwide Pink Oct – Mov Campaign aims to educate and raise awareness on five common cancers mainly breast, cervical, ovarian, testicular and prostate cancer. This year funds collected from events totaled seventy thousand euros and as is customary funds were also distributed amongst local cancer NGOs.
Europa Donna Malta, Action for Breast Cancer, Hospice Malta, Puttinu Cares, Karl Vella Foundation, Smiling with Jerome Foundation and Europa Uomo were all presented with donations.
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