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Global Cancer Care
Egypt
Work on GCCE project
April – May 2005
1-
Completion of rental procedure, internal changes and decoration
and furnishing a 130 meters square luxurious flat
above and attached to Malik-Al-Salam Hospital at Al-Warrak,
Embaba. This centre aims to provide care for cancer
patients whom are served by volunteers from local churches at
this densely populated district. The facilities offered comprise
of '' Day Care '' service and two beds for patients who need
short stay to improve distressing symptoms.
The centre has been inaugurated about the middle of April and
started to function shortly after. It is supervised by Mr Nagui
Isaac, GCCE coordinator, helped an assistant resident near the
centre. Dr Nasser Essa and Dr Ehab Karam , members of GCCE team
in Cairo, look into the patient's medical needs and give advice
on management. The main service is given by volunteers from
churches at Embaba whom are encouraged to bring their patients
to the centre in small groups. They take responsibility for the
patients during their visit and stay. Details of rent and
running expenses will be provided.
2- Completion of Day Care room
attached to the Cancer Care Centre at
Al-Romany Hospital, Al-hadara, Alexandria. The work on
its construction has been going on for sometime at a total cost
of more than LE 50,000. The CMS has contributed LE 25,000 (
about £ 2,300 ), two thousands were paid and three hundreds are
due. The first group of patients, a group of nine, were
collected from their homes and received and looked after by
volunteers, two priests and Dr Gobran They have tremendously
enjoyed the day, the 2nd of June. One of the
volunteers described to me the event,
'' patients were so excited and asked about the date of their
next visit.'' The volunteer, who herself was excited, added, ''
You could not overlook the big smile on their face.''
Running and providing service in the day care room and ward for
in-patients is seen by a group of volunteers made of:
Fr Salib Hakim , Priest of church and founder
of Al-Romany Hospital
Dr Gobran Hafez, consultant anaesthetist
and provider of palliative medical care
Mrs Georget Guirguis , graduate of High
Institute of Nursing and member of Al-Ragaa Charity
based at Mostafa Kamel church
Mrs Souzi Sabry Ishak, an accountant and
member of Al-Ragaa Charity based at Mostafa Kamel
church
Mrs Nadya , member of Al-Ragaa
Charity based at Mostafa Kamel church
'' A weekly out-patient clinic for cancer patients is running by
Dr Gobran Hafez. This clinic provides a
free service to all cancer patients attending hospital
regardless of their faiths.''
3- Visit to Egypt by:
Dr Samira
Iskander-Gabra, member of CMS and specialist in
palliative medicine
Dr Ian Morgan,
specialist in palliative medicine and director of Marie Curie
hospice,
Birmingham
Dr Frank Neal,
consultant radiotherapist emeritus, chairman of the Rotherham
Hospice
and a founder of
Sheffield and Rotherham hospices
Places visited & work done
a-
Al-Romany Cancer Centre
on 11 and 12 May. A talk was given by Frank Neal to doctors and
volunteers on aspects of patients care and importance and
running of Day Care service. Dr Ramez
Al-Bedwani, a senior consultant psychiatrist and chairman
of a cancer care charity in Alexandria, also, shared in
discussion, expressed his views and talked about the
psychological aspects of cancer patients' emotions and attitude.
Dr S Iskander-Gabra and Dr I Morgan examined three inpatients,
evaluated their conditions and discussed them with doctors and
nursing staff in charge.
Although the attendance of doctors was poor, the centre has
benefited from the visit and advice of the three distinguished
guests.
b- Embaba cancer
care centre 14 May 2005 Dr Frank Neil talked to doctors
and saw patients .
c- Abouna Bishoy
Hostel that provides accommodation and care to cancer
patients
attending the High Institute of Tumours,
Fom El-Khalig, Old Cairo. Mr Magdi Gordon
received Dr Neal at Abouna Bishoy Guest
House, discussed their service and plans for
expansion. He introduced him to young
doctors serving patients in the house. Later, he
took Dr Neal in a visit to the Churches
of Old Cairo.
d-
Dr Frank
Neal met one of the engineers
working on plans of a purpose built hospice by Mari-Morkos
Church, Heliopolis. The project is supervised by Abouna Dawood
Lam3i who is very keen to see it through.
e-
Dr Ian
Morgan and Dr Frank Neal visited a patient, consultant
paediatrician relative,
with advanced myeloid leukaemia at one of Alexandria private
hospitals.12 May 2005
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The
visits in Cairo were arranged by Mr Nagui Isaac and Dr Ehab
Karam, who accompanied Dr Frank Neal and his wife Dr Mary Neal.
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Dr Nasser
Essa arranged the meeting and bringing patients at Embaba Centre
4- Second Palliative Care
Conference for doctors 13 May 2005
The conference was
a combined effort of the CMS and
Lions and Leo of Heliopolis.
It was attended by about seventy doctors and twenty non
medical members.
The main talks, given by Dr Ian Morgan, Dr Samira
Iskander-Gabra and Dr Frank Neal, were
essentially for medical audience. Dr S Iskander-Gabra
discussed pain management while
Dr Morgan dealt with the problem of vomiting.
A meeting took place for non medical members of Lion and
Leo clubs who asked about causes
of cancer, means of early detection and, whenever possible,
prevention. Dr Frank, who addressed
this audience, answered to many of these questions and
stressed on the vital role volunteers offer
to help and support cancer patients in many ways.
There was a great interest in the two weeks training
programme given to the volunteers serving at
The Rotherham Hospice, S Yorkshire and it was agreed the
programme will be brought to them.
One of the attendants, a professor in literature,
Dr Howaida Al-Kordany, talked
of a plan discussed
with Dr Ahmad Al-Hadari to screen women for cancer breast
and cervix..
The cooperation with members of Lions Club started by a
contact from Mr Wisam Hanna, a final
year dentistry student and member of Leo Club, with Dr Nabil
Raphael, the president of the CMS.
A meeting with Mr Hanna, Mr Mohamad Beltagi, a colleague of
him, and Mr Elias Zakoura, of
Lions and advisor to Leo, took place in Cairo in November 04.
Talks on future cooperation were
made with Mr Nagui Isaac and Dr Ehab Karam who shared in
arranging the medical conference
of the13thMay, 05.
Working with Lions is promising and allows expanding the GCCE
efforts in establishing cancer care
service, through the club's wide contacts. It also helps the
service to reach all cancer patients,
Christians and non Christians.
The Global
Cancer Care British charity supporting the work of the
CMS has always advised on extending the service to all
citizens of Egypt.
FUND RAISING EVENTS
I Fund Raising Lunch in London
at Maria Centre, Kensington Square 15 May 2005
Arranged by Dr Nabil Raphael
Dr Isis Noeman
Dr Raafat Abd-El-Bakki
Dr Esam Dimitry ... and
other members of CMS and congregation of
St.Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church
London
Guest Speaker : Dr Kamal Farid Isaac,
Professor of Coptic
language, High Institute of Coptic Studies in Cairo
Presenter : Dr Nabil Raphael, President of CMS
Fathers supported
and attended :
Abouna Antonios
Thabet, Abouna Bishoy Boshra and Abouna Mikhail Ibrahim
Talk about GCCE work : Dr Isis Sidhom, CMS Trustee
II Fund Raising Dinner in Manchester
, Newab Restaurant, Stockport 22 May 2005
Arranged by Dr
Albert
Dr Adel
Dr Evelyn ... Members
of St Mary Church, Manchester
Guest Speaker : Dr
Kamal Farid Isaac,
Professor of Coptic
language, High Institute of Coptic Studies in Cairo
Presenter : Dr Adel Guirguis: Representative of CMS in
Manchester
Father supported and attended: Abouna Bishoy
Talk about GCCE work : Dr Isis Sidhom, CMS Trustee
III Fund Raising Dinner in Birmingham,
Hilton Metropolitan Hotel 5 June 2005
Arranged by Dr Magda A Yossef, a CMS
Trustee
Dr Fayek Naguib,
Member of CMS and Trustee of Church
Guest Speaker: Dr Ian Morgan, Director of Marie Curie Hospice,
Sollihul
Presenter: Dr Magda A Yossef, a CMS Trustee
Father supported and attended: Abouna Yohanna (Fr John)
Talk about GCCE work : Dr Nabil Isshak, CMS Trustee
The fund raising dinners succeeded to collect more than ten
thousand pounds. Great, great
news. Details of spending this fund for the year 05/06 is under
discussion by the trustees and
will be available for any member of the congregations, on
request.
The CMS is deeply grateful for all who gave form their time and
effort to arrange for these
events, reverent fathers who encouraged, attended and blessed
the cancer care service and,
of course, brothers and sisters who donated so generously. May
our Lord recompense them
all and give guidance and wisdom to those involved in the work
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Global Cancer Egypt
Work
done so far
1
Training of seven
doctors from
Egypt at British hospices and pain management clinics, from Aug 2002 to Aug
2004.
2
Visit of two senior British nurses
specialized in palliative
medicine and cancer care to Egypt in December 2003 . They gave lectures and
training to doctors, nurses and volunteers at three places in Cairo and
three places in Alexandria. They have also visited cancer patients at their
home, accompanied by members from Ragaa and St Verina centres.
3
A conference was held in Cairo
for doctors, dealing with some aspects of palliative medicine, on the 20th
and 21st May, 2004 . This was held for two days and attended by 30 doctors
plus. Lectures were given and workshop discussion led by Dr Samira Iskander,
Specialist in Palliative Medicine, Dr Ian Morgan, Medical Director of Marie
Curie Hospice, Birmingham, Dr Mervat Antwan, Medical Manager
(Pharmaceuticals) and Professor Magdi Iskander, Professor of Pain
Management, Institute of Tumours, Cairo University.
4 A few meetings took
place in Cairo and Alexandria over the last two years to organise cancer
care service and study ways and means of achieving our goal. Meetings and
talks also took place at Rotherham, South Yorkshire, Manchester, Birmingham
and London on the same subject. Some articles were published in
Congregation News that helped to make many
members of the Coptic
Church in GB
aware of this service.
5 We had contacts with
the
Global
Cancer Care
based in Great Britain with the understanding of future cooperation and
support. Two meetings with senior members of GCC committee and a senior fund
raising member took place in Sheffield and one meeting in London
6 Collections were
made and fund raising dinner took place in London and Birmingham. This has
raised more than
£3,000, a
very good sum of money for the year 2004. The
budget for year 2002 –
2003 was £2,400.
One of the brothers took upon himself to help in founding a Day Care centre
at Al-Romany hospital.
7
A pamphlet
was printed to explain
cancer care service and provide contact names and telephone numbers. A
detailed brochure was also printed giving a summary of training programs
took place so far and, future plans of the service. This well illustrated
brochure should be motivating when appeal for help is made. A book about
mercy as the greatest divine request in Christian understanding was
published. Apart from paying for the book printing, a sum of £400 was made
from its sale. This was donated to Embaba Bed-Ridden Patients Service to
help buying air mattresses.
8 Efforts are continuing
to establish centre for cancer care in Embaba, Cairo and in Hadara,
Alexandria. The CMS is also supporting the work of Mari Morkos Church, Masr
El-Gedida, in the construction of a purpose built hospice.
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MEETING AT AL-DAHABEYA
Cairo
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Dr Ian Morgan and I had the pleasure of organizing and
conducting the first Palliative Care conference for doctors in Cairo on
May 20th and 21st, 2004.
The chosen place for this conference was a dahabeya on the
Nile belonging to the Bishopric of Giza. It had a splendid view of the
Nile and the adjacent bridges. The cool breeze was extremely welcome and
appreciated.
We met with very keen and interested colleagues who came
from as far as Beni Sweif south and Alexandria north.
The attendance was expected to be over fifty (the full
capacity of the available room) however only 30 made it.
One difficulty was that we needed to start at 8:30 am and
this proved to be rather an ungodly hour for most.
The conference got on the way at last at 9:45 when the IT
man, who was hopelessly lost in the streets of Giza, found the ship. |
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By: Dr Samira Iskander Gabra
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We tackled on the first morning an introduction to
palliative care, then an introduction to pain followed by management of
pain. Professor Magdy Iskander, the pain specialist at Cairo National
Cancer Institute, talked about interventional pain control. His talk
covered different methods of nerve blocks and the spinal and epidural
routes for delivering pain control drugs.
The attendants then enjoyed hearty discussions in the
afternoon workshop de-signed for interactive case notes on pain control.
On the second day folk made an admirable effort to attend
early and we started on time. We dealt with the subject of nausea and
vomiting in cancer patients and their management. This was followed by a
talk on Disposal, its causes and management. Dr. Mervat Antoun gave a
brilliant talk on the role of the pharmacist in palliative care. She
managed to gather a list of available drugs in Egypt that can be used in
palliative care. This was very encouraging to us because apart from the
restricted opiates, there are locally most of the required drugs used in
difficult pains, such as neuropathic pain. |
The late afternoon workshop on nausea and vomiting was
received with great enthusiasm.
Several valuable issues resulted from this conference.
• We have identified the educational needs for these
interested groups and the tools required to meet them.
• We have made contact with groups outside Cairo which
resulted in visits to Alexandria and Beni Sweif
• We have identified the need for volunteers to learn
about palliative care and how to be effective and valuable members of
palliative care teams
• We have identified excellent local organizational talents
for networking and developing efficient working teams
There is a definite will to serve very sick patients in the
community. What is required is a directional input coupled with high
quality training to boost confidence to start effective teams and
financial help, to purchase some necessary equipment and perhaps
occasionally to purchase very expensive drugs. |
Donations needed
FIRST PALLIATIVE CARE
CONFERENCE
IN
CAIRO
Through the
help and guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ and support of many of you a
successful conference on palliative care for cancer patients took place
in Cairo on the 20th and 21st of May. Dr Samira Gabra, a specialist in
pall. Medicine and Dr Ian Morgan, director of Marie Curie Hospice in
Birmingham went to Egypt to give talks and discuss various aspects of
cancer care. Professor Magdi Iskander from the High Institute of Tumors,
Cairo University and Dr Mervat Antoon, a Medical
Manager
in pharmaceutical company shared in this important conference. About
twenty five doctors, mostly
anaesthetist have attended the two full
day's lectures and workshop. It took place on Al-Dahabia Boat on the
Nile.
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The
work on developing palliative care in
Egypt is progressing well.
Nabil Isshak is in
discussion with Global Cancer Relief Care Charity. Two doctors came from
Egypt and trained for three weeks
in palliative car in the
UK. Plans are in place for six
more doctors from
Egypt to have further training. It
cost £600 for each doctor for basic expenses including flight. Dr
Samira Iskander-Gabra,
a specialist in cancer care at Marie Curls Centre,
Sollihull is organizing the training. Many
people are supporting this initiative and the
London Branch of the CMS is being asked to contribute £600. Donations to
Essam Dimitry
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