22 minute read
Maintain a balanced diet
“EARLY DETECTION AND A POSITIVE MINDSET HELPED ME BEAT CANCER” MO BRO YOREN CHETTY, CANCER SURVIVOR
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These are the words Yoren Chetty, a certi ed nancial planner from Johannesburg, will remember forever. Not because it is a catchphrase being used to describe the disruption caused by the Coronavirus, but rather because it was delivered by his doctor moments before he was diagnosed with Stage 2 testicular cancer on 19 February 2020.
Fast forward to today, it would be hard to believe that Yoren, who turns 40 in November, has beaten cancer this year. One surgery and three rounds of chemotherapy later, Yoren is training to participate in the virtual New York City Marathon on 1 November and will run 42.2km in the streets of Johannesburg on behalf of Movember (www.za.movember.com), the leading global men’s health charity tackling prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Running 4km loops 10.5 times to complete the marathon, Yoren’s run will launch the Movember campaign, which will continue throughout the month of November.
As a Mo Bro for the campaign, Yoren is hoping to raise approximately R60 000 through the run, the proceeds of which will go towards funding survivorship and research programmes for prostate and testicular cancer, as well as mental health programmes. Movember looks at mental health through a male lens, focusing on prevention, early intervention and health promotion, working towards men taking action to be mentally well, while being supported by those around them. “I got through the lowest points between chemotherapy rounds by using the power of visualisation. When I couldn’t walk or the pain was unbearable, I would close my eyes and imagine myself running down 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, competing in the race,” says Yoren.
Coincidentally, Yoren was just starting a new venture in Shanghai, China when the news of the Coronavirus started making headlines. One night in October 2019 he felt pain and swelling and discovered a lump, following which a visit to the doctor and a scan revealed a tumour. Yoren was scheduled to come to South Africa a week before China instated its lockdown, was lucky enough to get on a ight, and underwent surgery in Johannesburg in February 2020 to remove the tumour. A further scan revealed that there were enlarged lymph nodes in his kidney area, and chemotherapy was recommended. “I received chemotherapy during the height of the nationwide lockdown Level 5. Although I was fearful of contracting COVID-19 given that my immunity was compromised, I was cautious and adhered to the regulations, such as social distancing and no visits from friends and family.” This added another layer of complexity to the already stressful situation of dealing with cancer, one that could have been very lonely and challenging for his mental health. He overcame this by training himself to not let adversity get him down, adopting a positive mindset and refusing to give in to negativity. “I was in isolation with my parents and did not see anyone other than my oncologist and the nursing sta . I did not even have my camera on during Zoom calls with friends, family and colleagues. I also chose to surround myself with things that gave me strength and made a conscious e ort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones,” says Yoren, who completed the last round of chemotherapy in May 2020.
He adds that the power of mental resilience is an incredibly important message not only to maintain mental health during the pandemic, but for any man battling prostate cancer, testicular cancer or any other health issue.
“Cancer can be beaten. Early detection saved my life, and it can save so many more men’s lives. I acted on a symptom. Men should listen more to their bodies and if anything feels unusual, get it checked out,” says Yoren. Today he sees himself not as a victim, but as a survivor of cancer, and is encouraging every man to get tested.
“We have a long way to go until no man dies of cancer. Our sons, partners, fathers, brothers and friends are facing these challenges and we need your help,” says Garron Gsell, chief executive and founder of the Men’s Foundation, which manages
Cancer Survivor, Yoren Chetty the Movember campaign in South Africa under license from the Global Movember Foundation.
Movember encourages both men and woman to sign up for free on www.movember.com to support the awareness and education for the campaign, where Mo Bros and Sisters can commit to either Grow, Move or Host an event, or simply make a donation to someone who is. Any action in the name of Movember ghts the health issues that are the leading causes of men’s fatalities in South Africa. All funds raised will go towards Changing the Face of Men’s Health in South Africa.
Get involved
Help Change the Face of Men’s Health and sign up as a Mo Bro or Mo Sister to raise funds and awareness for Movember. Grow a Mo, host and attend an event, or MOVE and you can be the di erence in a man’s life. Walk, run, cycle, swim or row. A little or a lot. Solo or in a team. It’s not about being the ttest or going the furthest. It’s about havin’ fun, doin’ good, by raising funds along the way.
For more info, visit www.za.movember.com or download the Movember app on your mobile device. Follow Movember on social media: @MovemberRSA on Twitter or facebook/MovemberSouthAfrica.
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Self-medication available for at-home delivery
Uber Eats is excited to announce a South African- rst pharmacy o ering locally with Medicare that will now provide users, directly from the Uber Eats App, access to over-the-counter medication (self-medication), including schedule 1 and 2 drugs for delivery without leaving home. Uber Eats is rolling out a new reimagined experience to users to nd exactly what they are looking for—faster, in addition to o ering new ordering categories such as groceries, medicines, speciality foods, and pet food.
Medication Made Easy
With various convenience goods already sold by Medicare via the Uber Eats marketplace, the extended partnership will allow users to add over-the-counter schedule 1 and 2 medication (self-medication) directly into their basket for convenient delivery. This signi cantly increases access to medication to those who need it most, without any risk of leaving the safety of their homes.
These steps will see pharmaceutical items like Genpayne, ACC200 or Corenza C and other medicines available over-the-counter at pharmacies, available for delivery via the Uber Eats app. “We strongly believe in reinventing pharmacy, and thanks to this partnership with Uber Eats this is made possible. Getting the medication South Africans need, when they need it, without the risk of leaving their home is just the beginning as we continue to explore how best we can bring access, convenience and reliability in our everyday needs.” says Tim Knapp, CEO at Medicare.
This novel partnership requires no physical contact with an attending pharmacist, however, should a user need further assistance with the available medication, a pharmacist is just a telephone call away. Before any order is prepped and dispatched, the user
will need to provide personal details including their full name, address and contact number as required by law. Upon delivery, the individual accepting the medication will need to provide a form of identi cation. The partnership will utilise Medicare’s network of pharmacies across Johannesburg and Cape Town, to ful l the orders. The visible locations will appear inside the Uber Eats app behind the pharmacy banner, or accessible by searching for “Medicare”. “Seeing how quickly locals adopted an online platform, allowed us the opportunity to signi cantly scale our o erings to cater for more than just food, moving to just about anything that one might need to live comfortably at home,” says Shane Austin, General Manager of Uber Eats in Sub Saharan Africa.
A redesigned experience
Over-the-counter medication (self-Medica-
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tion) isn’t the only new add-on - as Uber Eats continues to grow and scale, so too do the options available to users. Several new categories outside of just food delivery, are now available in the newly launched easy-to- nd shortcuts, including cuisines and new merchants. Shortcuts give users instant access to their favourite cuisines and new merchants like grocery stores, butchers, retailers like Game and Exclusive Books, pet supply stores such as Absolute Pets, and more. During October, the app will continue to roll out new and enhanced features, including updated tailored recommendations. Austin explains, “The more you order, the more tailored our recommendations, so you’ll spend less time choosing and more time eating. When you’re looking to discover a new favourite, you’ll see curated picks for you, like Hidden Gems in your neighbourhood, and Family Favourites with food bundles to feed the entire crew.” Group ordering is also set to be inaugurated later this month, which will allow users to order from multiple restaurants in one single order. No more passing the phone around the room or writing down everyone’s order ahead of time!
While the app has always provided unique avour and cuisine lters, new categories have been added to further curate the experience by o ering a more streamlined approach to ordering. With so many options, the app’s map has been enhanced to show which restaurants o er pick-up while showing all restaurants available and their reviews, making it easier to decide where to order.
Growth of GroCos
With more at-home deliveries for everyday essentials, Uber Eats emphasised its e orts in growing the number and diversity of grocery, retail and convenience merchants available via the app.
In South Africa, the app reports couriers
completing over 900 000 km in just grocery deliveries. That’s about 23 trips around the world to get consumers their daily must-haves such as bread and full cream milk (which were the most popular grocery items ordered).
Whether South Africans are looking for a meal they’ve ordered before, or itching to satisfy the day’s craving, Uber Eats has them covered. With simple reordering and personalized food recommendations based on their location, taste, and lifestyle, Uber Eats is making it simpler than ever before to nd exactly what people are looking for, sometimes before they even know it!
About Medicare
Medicare is a group of 50 community pharmacies across Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Western Cape. Medicare is reinventing the South African pharmacy to give equal and a ordable access to healthcare for all South Africans.
HONOUR THE “BRAVE”: CELEBRATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
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Season 2 of ‘Sponsors of Brave’ is now open for nominations - calling all aspiring, current, or recently graduated and community service healthcare students boldly and bravely changing the world around them. The 2020 Sponsors of Brave campaign – a partnership between Adcock Ingram OTC and News24 – aims to celebrate the unsung heroes and brave professionals in healthcare. In particular, season 2 recognises that pursuing a career in healthcare during the height of a pandemic is the de nition of a Generation of Brave and aims to shine a spotlight on the succession of healthcare heroes.
Setting the bar high
Season 1 of the Sponsors of Brave campaign was a runaway success, showcasing the depth and breadth of heroism all around us. Some 3 800 heroes from the front lines of healthcare in South Africa were nominated and 12 nalists emerged to have their stories shared and ampli ed. By the end of the competition, over 3.2 million readers engaged with the campaign, and two worthy winners were chosen, earning R25 000 for each of their preferred charities and a trip to an overseas medical conference of their choosing. Nominations cast a wide net, culminating with two winning entries: Pharmacist and community cornerstone Nontutuzelo Sibango from the Eastern Cape who captured the public’s heart through her work supporting young athletes in her community and clinic founder Dr Hugo Templeman of Ndlovu Care Group in Limpopo was the Judges choice.
Time to step up
Now, as our energy to face what is left of 2020 wanes, we need fresh faces that bring new stories and successes to celebrate and reinvigorate the nation. This is why the focus for season 2 is on students, graduates and those in community service gearing up to enter the healthcare profession during this unprecedented time in history.
Despite everything 2020 has thrown at them – business and school closures, shrinking term dates, rising unemployment, and exceptional uncertainty – our budding healthcare professionals have proven to be resilient.
“This year has been incredibly trying, but our Sponsors of Brave campaign is all about hope and heroism,” says Andrea Firth, Commercial Editor of BrandStudio24 “Bravery is not about the absence of fear, but of continuing on despite it. We want to give credit where it is due, and we want to demonstrate to this next generation – who have already faced so much – that we believe in them, and we will invest in them and their futures.”
Are you part of the Next Generation of Brave? Nominate and Win.
Are you an aspiring, current or recently graduated healthcare student or currently completing your community service year? Adcock Ingram OTC and News24 are encouraging you to nominate yourself or a deserving candidate and you could win one of 10 x R5000 weekly prizes. In addition, featured nominees could also stand a chance to win an impactful mentorship and two lucky students will walk away with R25 000 towards their studies. Mentor's will also be in line to win a trip to an overseas medical conference of their choice to the value of R50 000 and the opportunity to pay-it-forward by donating R25 000 to any registered NPO charity they wish to support. Visit https://partners.24.com/SponsorsofBrave/ website for more entry criteria, and to nominate yourself, a worthy candidate or to become a mentor.
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JUMP FEET FIRST INTO SUMMER WITH NO NAIL-SHAMING
The rst steps of open-toed freedom into the warm weather across South Africa need not be shaming for ngers and toes that have spent too long under the covers of lockdown and winter. Shannon te Roller, GM of Mundipharma SA, distributors of Betadine® products in Southern Africa, says unsightly nails on feet and hands are a real part of the social anxiety of stepping out into summer weather. “But feet can now be prepared to put their best selves forward with our exciting new Betadine™ Emtrix™ Fungal Nail Solution. The product is clinically proven to improve nail appearance in one week1A – and it’s the number one nail solution in the USA, Sweden and Taiwan.”2,3,4 Betadine™ Emtrix™ Fungal Nail Solution is used to treat discoloured and deformed nails resulting from fungal infection or psoriasis1B – and within eight weeks, it improves nail thickening, discolouration, brittleness and softness. Results are noticeable after one week of treatment.5 Fungal nail infections a ect 19% of adults across the world6, 50% of the elderly7, as well as children8. Psoriasis a ects 2-3%9B of the population, 80% of whom could have nail psoriasis9A. Betadine™ Emtrix™ Fungal Nail Solution is applied directly to the site of infection and changes the nail itself, improving the surface and keeping it in good condition.1B,C “Fungal infections and nail psoriasis can be painful and far more than a cosmetic nuisance,” adds Te Roller. “Betadine™ Emtrix™ Fungal Nail Solution is another innovative product from Mundipharma which keeps putting its best feet forward in its e orts to meet medical needs in South Africa.” BETADINE™ EMTRIX™ Fungal Nail Solution is currently available at selected Clicks stores and leading pharmacies across South Africa.
HONOUR THE BRAVE: NOMINEES
Nominee 1 Fifth-year medical student, Sibongumenzi Mtshali (Menzi) says she has seen rst-hand what access to medical healthcare providers can do for people, for communities. This rising star from Stellenbosch University has been paired with Dr Liana Roodt, a surgeon and founder of Project Flamingo, a breast cancer-focused NGO. Originally from a rural town in KwaZulu-Natal, at the age of eight, Menzi lost her grandmother to sepsis after an arm injury turned septic. Years later, Menzi and her family experienced another trauma, receiving very little support at the time. Consequently, she made the decision to dedicate her life to helping others.
Nominee 2 PHD candidate from the University of Cape Town, Veneshley Samuels is from Atlantis in the Cape Flats, and says that many families, living in close quarters together, contracted tuberculosis and this experience has driven her to want to specialise in TB research. Veneshley was paired with mentor Dr. Andani Mulelu, a biochemist and research scientist at the University of Cape Town's Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit. Dr. Mulelu's eld of study is molecular biology, protein engineering and structural biology which he is harnessing towards developing a rapid test to diagnose tuberculosis.
Nominee 3 Julian Sheldon is a Masters student in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, who loves learning in order to help those around him. His friends applaud him for the perseverance and determination he has shown in his studies and life, and for the commitment he has shown in the frontlines against Covid-19. With his eagerness to learn, comes his appreciation for learning from others. "Mentorship is valuable for young and new healthcare professionals because we are novices in this eld," Julian says. "Mentorship provides this form of guidance." Julian found his mentor in Essential Health Pharmacy in Kuilsrivier pharmacist Leon Brits for whom he worked for three years — sharing a close bond and great respect for one another.
Nominee 4 Bravery isn't just doing. It's courage with action. It's persevering when there's resistance." This is the lesson that Vivian Chengalroyan, a PhD candidate in Pharmacy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, has taken out of the Covid-19 pandemic. She says being a healthcare professional during these trying times has changed her outlook on the future and heightened her passion for helping others. Her mentor, leading pharmacist Dr. Sham Moodley from Care Naraj Pharmacy in Durban highlighted Vivian's commitment and dedication, "What Vivian brings to the table is a loving personality which I think is critical for patient care," Dr. Moodley says.
Nominee 5 MbChb student, Cameron Joseph who understands that a good doctor treats a disease, but a great doctor treats a patient. Growing up with two parents in the healthcare industry, Cameron Joseph has always seen medicine as his home and the place where he belongs. "It's always been the niche where I wanted to make a di erence," says this 4th year MbChb student. With his passion for paediatrics and community health, Cameron was paired with mentor Professor Liesl Zühlke. An award winning leader in her eld of paediatric cardiology and a research and global health advocate, Zühlke is the associate Professor in Paediatric Cardiology at the Red Cross Children's Hospital.
WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ON THE RISE, DISABILITY INSURANCE CAN BE LIFE-SAVING
As evidence of a sharp spike in mental illness continues to mount, experts are in little doubt that we’re living through a profound global trauma. The full extent of the crisis is yet to become clear, but we do know that more and more people are unable to work due to psychiatric disorders. Disability insurance can play a key healing role here by providing individuals and families with the means to focus on recovery.
That’s according to Dr Kerissa Naidoo, Old Mutual’s Chief Medical O cer, who points out that mental illness numbers were already on the rise — even before Covid-19 brought an entirely new level of daily uncertainty — and predicts a further increase for 2020.
Old Mutual’s 2019 personal cover claim statistics show that the group has paid out 59% more in psychiatric disorder claims under disability income cover since 2016.
The majority of claimants were adults of prime working age, with 83% aged between 30 and 50, and major depression was the reason for 62% of the psychiatric claims. There can be no doubt that the signi cantly more extreme pressures of 2020 will be taking their toll on this already embattled group.
The Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor Covid-19 Special Report, released in July, revealed that 52% of working South Africans are responsible for an adult dependent (up from 43% in 2019). At the same time, 57% are earning less than they were at the beginning of lockdown and 58% are feeling great nancial stress.
Unsurprisingly, many are struggling to keep up, with 37% having fallen behind on household bills (up from 24% in 2019) and 32% have fallen behind on personal loan repayments. illness, such as debilitating anxiety and depression, then being unable to work only increases the anxiety about money and makes the condition worse.
While psychiatric conditions continue to carry the stigma of being ‘only in your head’, they are, in fact, frequently life-threatening. In addition to the steep increase in claims for psychiatric disorders, Old Mutual also saw the number of death claims as a result of suicide jump by almost a quarter (24%) from 2018 to 2019.
“Good disability insurance can make all the di erence when it comes to recovery,” explains John Kotze, Head of Protection Solutions at Old Mutual.
“When you su er a major mental health setback, the last thing you need is to be worried about money or having to go back to work before you’re ready. If you nd yourself out of action – and none of us are immune, especially now – the income protection that disability insurance provides means you can continue taking care of your dependents and meeting your nancial commitments.”
Part of a ground-breaking new range of personal cover that responds to your individual needs and budget, Old Mutual Disability Income Cover provides up to 24 monthly payments if you are impaired, unable to work or can’t take care of yourself due to an illness (including mental illness) or injury.
What’s more, you can add the Income Extender Bene t to continue these monthly payments until you recover and can work again, or your cover ends. “Recovery is a journey that can’t be rushed,” says Kotze. “The Income Extender Bene t recognises this and means you’re not under pressure to get back to work until you’re truly ready.”
disability insurance can reduce some of the anxiety of not being able to provide for your family – which, in turn, can only be good for your mental health.
TIPS TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES HEALTHY AND SAFE THIS FESTIVE SEASON
The festive season is here! After a year of unprecedented stress – this is a time of much needed relaxation, good food, and ideally many happy moments with family and friends. That said, it’s important to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy in all aspects during the year-end festivities.
Crime rates increase during the festive season – and while we often focus on our homes and travel plans when it comes to staying safe during the holidays, being safe encompasses a lot more than we realise. A medical emergency in many shapes and forms can happen at any time and these could catch you by surprise if you are not prepared!
No need to panic though - with your health and safety in mind, here are some tips to keep you and your loved ones safe during the holidays:
Know who to contact
Every emergency situation is di erent, and the exact procedures of how to handle the emergency may vary – but one thing that will always be your rst point of call is to get help. If disaster strikes, you might not have time to search for emergency numbers. You may also be too stressed and panicky to think straight.
Ensure you have a list of emergency contacts printed out and stuck up in a central point in your home – a good place is the fridge. Make sure that these contacts are updated regularly and that they include your preferred medical and security response providers as well as a friend or family member. It is also a good idea to keep a copy of this list in your car and save the info on your phone. If you are going away, be sure to establish where the nearest hospital and police station, to where you are staying, are.
Carry an I.C.E card
Create an In Case of Emergency card for yourself and each member of your family to carry with you. This should include name, medical conditions, medical aid details and a contact name and number. Should anything unforeseen happen and you are unable to communicate, this will assist responders in getting you the help you need.
Communicate with your family
Be sure to have a good communication plan
in place with your family and loved ones. Make it a habit to let someone know where you are going, when you get there, when you are leaving and when you are safely home. That way if they don’t hear from you, they will be alerted to the fact that something may be wrong.
A great solution for any one in an emergency situation is the mySOS stand-alone panic button which is a wearable panic button that allows you to alert your pre-determined emergency contacts wherever you are with the simple press of a button. The mySOS panic button comes with a variety of life saving features, all the user needs to do is press the Panic Button and the mySOS system activate your emergency. Your contacts will be noti ed with your GPS location, type of emergency and other relevant details.
To nd out more visit www.mysos.co.za or join the conversation on Facebook.
