Project ASK aids patients and caregivers who have been denied or given limited access to treatment, benefits, medicine, or healthcare. Our Case Managers help patients navigate their way to accessing the treatment they are entitled to, regardless of whether or not they are being treated in a state hospital or belong to a medical scheme, at any stage of their cancer journey. We also advise patients on how to deal with workplace situations arising from their cancer diagnosis.
Being diagnosed with cancer is very overwhelming for a patient and their loved ones. Campaigning for Cancer's mission is to be that someone to help you find credible information about your cancer journey, direct you to support services, and aid you in ensuring that you are getting the best possible treatment through advocacy services. Campaigning for Cancer's Project Ask is a free, easily accessible service that helps the patient feel more empowered by steering them through the steps of their cancer journey. The right answers are as important as the proper treatment, and at Campaigning for Cancer, we help you get both.
We aim to ensure that all South Africans are informed and educated about cancer and their rights and responsibilities as patients, thus allowing cancer patients and their loved ones to make informed decisions regarding their cancer journey and ensure that they better understand and manage their experiences navigating a complex healthcare system as they receive treatment. Ultimately, we aim to improve outcomes and promote efficient, cost-effective care for cancer patients in South Africa. We commit to providing the following services to patients and people affected by cancer:
Access to information
Through our comprehensive databases and disease resources, we can provide a patient, caregiver, or loved one of a patient with information about their disease or their treatment, and the steps along the journey they are about to undertake, or what their patient rights and responsibilities are.
Access to support
We offer referrals to well-established and well-governed support groups. These support groups will provide guidance, advice, and emotional support to survivors and their families to improve their quality of life in all phases during and after their treatment. Campaigning for Cancer collaborates with several support groups and will endeavour, where possible, to ensure that the patient, caregiver, or family member is directed to a support group in their area.
Accessing treatment and patient advocacy
We will help the patient, caregiver, or family member navigate their way when accessing the treatment they are entitled to, regardless of whether they are being treated in a state hospital or belong to medical aid, and advise them on the best ways to deal with workplace situations arising from their cancer diagnosis.
Types of access treatment and patient advocacy issues we can help with:
Guiding the patient, caregiver, or family member through the steps of exercising their rights and processes of appeal concerning:
- A medical scheme declining their treatment plan or not correctly allocating their treatment in relation to their benefits.
- Helping the patient, caregiver, or family member develop treatment motivations for submission to their medical scheme.
- Helping the patient, caregiver, or family member apply for ex gratia funding with their medical scheme.
- Helping the patient, caregiver, or family member with their cancer diagnosis and treatment services in public hospitals.
- Problems with referrals in public hospitals.
- Unfair treatment in public hospitals.
- Unfair treatment in the workplace.
With rights come responsibilities, and we require that the patient, caregiver, or family member be aware of their responsibilities towards the process.
This post and content are sponsored, written, and produced by Campaigning for Cancer.
