Uganda: Leukemia And GIST Advocacy Fraternity

Member’s description

Leukemia and GIST Advocacy Fraternity-Uganda (LGAFU) is an association that advocates for leukemia and GIST patients and people with other rare cancers within Uganda. Its formation was an idea of two CML patients who had lost hope in life after they were diagnosed with CML. The two founders after seeking medical attention and carrying out an extensive research about CML, they realized that CML was not a death sentence as they initially thought. The need to help Ugandans who were being traumatized by the same problem and did not know what to do resulted in the formation of LGAFU. On the 13th of July, 2012 LGAFU was formally registered with Uganda Registration Service Bureau. LGAFU is operated exclusively for all charitable purposes, with emphasis on Cancer awareness, mitigation and reduction of Leukemia and GIST mortality rates in particular.

OUR VISION IS…
…improve the lives and survival rates of patients with Leukemia, GIST and any other rare cancers within Uganda

OUR MISSION IS….
…reduce Leukemia and GIST mortality rate in Uganda and provide advocacy regardless of ability to pay.

Organizational objectives and key programs

KEY OBJECTIVES:

1. To establish support systems for counseling and support groups for Leukaemia & GIST patients, survivors and their families.
2. To design and implement cancer awareness and training workshops and seminars based on information derived from the research.
3. Improving the lives of people living with Leukemia and GIST so that they can live a more meaningful life
4. To research the availability of resources for people diagnosed with Leukaemia & GIST and identify existing information gaps and needs.
5. Identifying strategic and comprehensive medical treatment, care and support centre in Uganda to Leukemia and GIST positive patients, targeting poor resource settings or allocations.

KEY INITIATIVES:
We are looking forward to the Launch of Leukemia And GIST Advocacy Fraternity – Uganda (LGAFU). This is aimed at bringing patients around Uganda and their families together with an intention of educating them about the best ways of fighting cancer.

Some of the Proposed Activities During the Official Launch of LGAFU.

• Visit to Pediatric Oncology ward at the Uganda Cancer Institute – Mulago National Referral Hospital: This is intended to show children love through giving gifts ranging from assorted toys, fruits, gift packs, drinks, mosquito nets, pampers, exercise books, drawing books, pencils, markers, among others. This will let the children and their families know that they are of value and that there are people who love them.
• Short skits will be staged aimed at passing on healthy lifestyle promotion to participants more especially cancer patients: Healthy lifestyle behaviors to be emphasized will encompass weight management, a healthy diet, regular exercises, and smoking cessation.
• Sharing Life stories from cancer survivors to encourage newly diagnosed patients and those currently admitted at the Uganda Cancer Institute-demonstrating that there is life after cancer and cancer treatment.