Coming and Going Movements for Breast Health
Project Location:
Petropolis, State of Rio de Janeiro
Project Leader:
Daniele Moreira Machado
Partner Organizations:
Associacao Petropolitana Dos Pacientes Oncologicos (APPO), Oncology
Treatment Center (CTO)
Target Audience:
Women using the public healthcare system; healthcare providers, community healthcare
agents; community leaders
Project Description:
The community assessment of Petropolis that Course for the Cure™ participants conducted revealed that many women are uninformed about breast cancer-related services provided by the public health system; how to navigate the complex system, as well as the importance of early breast cancer screening. The assessment also revealed that many healthcare providers themselves are unaware of the step by step process for breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment. The community project team, which included the Petropolis Association for Cancer Patients (APPO) and the Oncology Treatment Center, collaborated with the Municipal Ministry of Health and the Public Healthcare system (SUS) to design informative material about the importance of Breast Self-Awareness, and the process for navigating the local public healthcare system for breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment. The material is directed at both women, as well as health care providers. Additionally, the project team will provide community healthcare workers with training on how to direct women through the breast cancer screening process, and all the steps they must conduct as a women goes through the screening, diagnosis and treatment process.
Entremamas Support Groups
Project Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Project Leader:
Dinah Bárbara Schumer
Partner Organizations:
Brazilian Association for the Support of Cancer Patients (ABRAPAC), Brazilian
Mastology Society, French-Brazilian Oncology Society, Medical School of the State of Minas Gerais
Target Audience:
Minimum of 160 women diagnosed with breast cancer
Project Description:
Rio de Janeiro has one of the highest breast cancer incidence rates in Brazil, and there is a great need for survivor support programs. This project created support groups for women diagnosed with breast cancer which were led by psycho-oncologists, who incorporated a multidisciplinary approach. Many sessions lasted 3 hours each due to the great interest and need for this type of service on behalf of the survivors. In addition, 20 facilitators were trained on BSA, early detection, patient rights, and healthy lifestyles. These facilitators went on to deliver BSA sessions in five communities and reached 442 people, including both women and men. The lead organization ABRAPAC is currently in talks to formalize a research project with the Dept. of Medical Sciences of Belo Horizonte, using the data collected from this project.
Multiplying and Replicating
Project Location:
Corrêas, Petropolis, State of Rio de Janeiro
Project Leader:
Renata Lopes Pacheco
Partner Organizations:
Associacao Petropolitana Dos Pacientes Oncologicos (APPO), Oncology Treatment Center (CTO), Board of Education
Target Audience:
10 high schools in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro targeting High school students, their families and teachers
Project Description:
Rio de Janeiro has one of the highest breast cancer incidence rates in Brazil. The community grant project Multiplying and Replicating is taking a creative approach to address breast cancer in the community by training high school students to become multipliers of the information for their friends, sisters, mothers, aunts and grandmothers. This innovative project created an illustrated educational book that follows the story of a teenager nicknamed “Duda” whose mother develops breast cancer. The book uses language carefully adapted to reach its target audience of high school students, their teachers and mothers. The back of the book provides breast health information, a summary of patients’ rights, and breast health resources. The book will be distributed in 10 public high schools in Corrêas, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and will work as a tool for educators to discuss breast cancer in a contextualized fashion, as well as preparing students to be promoters of breast health and early detection within their own families. The author will give talks at the schools, and train the school directors, professors and counselors on BSA. The project leader is also meeting with educational entities with the goal of offering the project on a national scale.
Sensimama
Project Location:
Petropolis, State of Rio de Janeiro
Project Leader:
Patrícia de Fátima Aragão Medeiros Portugal
Partner Organizations:
Associacao Petropolitana Dos Pacientes Oncologicos (APPO), Oncology
Treatment center (CTO), Boa Saúde Drugstore, Institute for the Social Security of Government Employees
of Petrópolis County (INPAS)
Target Audience:
General population of Petropolis
Project Description:
The project aims to raise breast health awareness and promote early detection among the community of Petropolis through the creation of a 20-minute video documenting the stories of five local breast cancer survivors. The video also touched on the topic of myths and taboos associated with the disease in Rio de Janeiro. The five survivors were trained in BSA, breast cancer and presentation skills through a 16-session course. They went on to give 18 BSA information sessions in their local schools, churches, health centers and municipal offices, reaching approximately 587 women and men, surpassing their original goal.