BRINGING HEALTH AND HOPE TO KENYA AND HAITI

The Prevent Cancer Foundation global grants program focuses on global cancer disparities in low- and middle-income countries. Each year, we ask an important question: Where can our resources make the biggest impact right now?

Our search for an answer brought us to two organizations, KILELE Health Association in Kenya and Hope for Haiti in Haiti. With twoyear, $150,000 grants, we are supporting their projects addressing cervical cancer in Kenya and breast and cervical cancer in Haiti by maximizing access to screening and providing cancer prevention and early detection resources where they are limited. In the past five years, the Foundation has supported 20 projects focused on global cancer disparities in low- and middleincome countries.

well-developed infrastructure, especially health services. The association aims to reach 40,000 Kenyans by engaging with the community and providing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, cervical cancer screenings and treatment. These cervical cancer initiatives are intended to be replicated in other countries with hardto-reach regions.

The KILELE Health Association, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, is tackling cervical cancer through its project, “Thamani Yetu - Engaging Communities to Improve Cervical Cancer Prevention and Early Detection.” Thamani Yetu means “Our Value” in Swahili, and the goal of this initiative is to restore value back to individuals in the Mbeere community through screening and educational health interventions. This community is in a predominately rural, arid region and lacks

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Haiti, yet sufficient screening is not widely available. Hope for Haiti’s project, “Improving Awareness, Screenings, and Treatment for Cervical and Breast Cancer in Haiti," also focuses primarily on community-level initiatives.

Continued from page 7.

They will provide 34,000 free cervical and breast cancer screenings, organize biannual education campaigns and train 35 nurses and 45 community health workers to reduce mortality and morbidity rates.

With support from the Prevent Cancer Foundation, both projects will contribute to our goal to reduce cancer deaths by 40% by 2035.

These global cancer prevention grants are made possible by Awesome Games Done Quick, an annual livestreamed video game marathon organized by Games Done Quick to raise funds for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

For more information on the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s global grants program, visit preventcancer.org/ programs/our-global-reach.

I’ve had five hospitalizations related to intestinal complications from the RPLND and eventually had surgery in 2015 to remove adhesions (scarlike tissue), plus another intervention due to side effects in both hips from the steroids used during chemotherapy. It helped, but I still have a lot of pain and can no longer play tennis, a hobby I loved. Eventually, I will need hip replacement surgery, and I have several abdominal scars that took me a while to accept and not feel self-conscious about.

Even though I have lived cancer-free since 2007, my mental health suffered from all the stress. I felt like once I was given the “all clear,” I just got spit out onto the street. No one prepared me for how difficult it would be to have my body fail so often following treatment. Unfortunately, I dealt with those feelings the wrong way and sometimes drank way too much.

Eventually, I found a peer support group and turned things around. I quit drinking and faced the pain of the trauma I had been through. I realized drinking alcohol—which is also linked to increased risk of cancer—was a waste of the second chance I’d been given.

It’s been nearly 20 years since my “all clear” from cancer, but there has been relatively little advancement in detecting and treating testicular cancer. For that reason, I have helped raise almost $50,000 for various cancer organizations. I want to see change! I am especially passionate about prevention and survivorship and working on starting my own nonprofit to ease the fear and pain for others going through similar situations to what I experienced.

I recently resigned from my high-stakes corporate job and started working as a consultant for public schools, which has filled my life with more joy. I know that nothing in life is guaranteed. I also know now that it’s better to use our time on Earth to help others—and that when your best buddy tells you to get that pain checked out, do it right away!

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. To learn more about the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer and what you can do to reduce your risk, visit preventcancer.org/testicular.