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You are Invited: Launch of CANSA Pain Manager App

#CANSACares #CancerSurvivorsMonth
#InternationalCancerSurvivorsDay

Please join us on Facebook, on Thursday 9 June at 11am, for a live launch of the CANSA Pain Manager App on CANSA’s national Facebook page and CANSA YouTube.

CANSA is proud to announce the launch of a new Pain Manager app for better Quality of Life for cancer Survivors and their caregivers!

Pain can be a life-destroyer and affect a patient to the point where they feel there is no hope or reason to continue, and cause their loved ones to despair.

As part of International Cancer Survivors’ Day in June, CANSA, in association with the Centre of Community Technology at Nelson Mandela University (CCT) is launching a free CANSA Pain Manager app, sponsored by Pfizer.

Unnecessary pain is often experienced by patients during their cancer journey and loved ones who are caregivers feel helpless as they watch their loved ones struggle. The app (free on Android / IOS*) is in the format of a diary or calendar allowing the patient / caregiver to input relevant information such as logging pain experienced daily and allows input reminders of medication schedule / dosage and appointments.

*The CANSA Pain Management App will be available on the Apple Store (IOS) by the end of June 2022

Through the CANSA Pain Manager App, CANSA hopes that patients may feel better equipped and supported, so that they will experience the best possible quality of life while coping with a cancer diagnosis and assist their caregivers to help manage their pain.

A patient’s pain should be identified and understood by the patient and reported to caregivers and medical practitioners so that it is manageable and not unbearable. Pain can be well-controlled when a patient is under supervision of a doctor and the correct combinations of medication are administered as prescribed.

However, it’s not always easy for the patient or caregiver to keep track of multiple medications / dosage per medication scheduled for the day or medical check-ups / treatment / appointments with specialists, or to provide detailed feedback to medical personnel regarding the pain they experience. Other treatment side effects such as ‘chemo brain’ can hamper accurate feedback because the patient’s memory for detail is affected.

Pain medication works best if patients take it regularly as prescribed before the pain becomes too severe, so it’s important to have a system in place whereby missing medication is avoided. Detailed feedback to medical personnel is also helpful. Therefore the CANSA Pain Manager app will be so useful to cancer patients and caregivers.

Darelle Van Greunen, Founder and Director of CCT says, “We’re so honoured to partner with CANSA to better the lives of cancer patients. The CANSA Pain Manager app was developed to assist the patient and caregiver in understanding pain better; locating pain; identifying intensity of pain; administration of medication correctly and timeously, as well as providing reports that can be exported to medical personnel or oncologists.”

Pfizer South Africa Medical Director Dr. Bha Ndungane-Tlakula commented, “At Pfizer, we have a long history in oncology research and development, including a pivotal role in scientific breakthroughs and revolutionary initiatives such as this. We’re proud to be part of this noble intervention that will help in improving the lives of patients living with cancer.”

Patients and caregivers can also download the CANSA At Home Pain Guide booklet from the CANSA website. CANSA partnered with members of PALPRAC, the Association of Palliative Care Practitioners of South Africa, who contributed to the content of the CANSA Pain Management booklet as well as the CANSA Pain App.

Additional Patient Resources:

There is no reason for a cancer patient’s pain not to be manageable. If you are concerned regarding a loved one who is struggling with pain, please email us at info@cansa.org.za so that we can assist.

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