Role of patient organizations in the fight against cancer - Mamma HELP, its projects, activities and experiences

The national health service of the Czech Republic provides the care for breast cancer patients at a high professional, technical and medication level.

As regards a breast cancer diagnosis the areas of both prevention, education for healthy girls and women and support, subsequent long-term treatments need to be improved. There is a wide sphere of activities precisely for patient organizations.

Mamma HELP is the largest female breast cancer patient organization in the Czech Republic included nowadays 8 centers. Since 1999 the association has been providing free consulting service and strong background for both patients and their families. The centers are open daily, except for weekends.

The statistics illustrates an importance of prevention and education. The association offers the public lectures focused on the prevention of breast cancer. The lecture includes a practical part where the listeners learn using models, how to perform self-examination properly. Our lectors visit small towns and rural areas. In the association there are over 40 trained lecturers with the certificate. They train more than 2,000 women yearly. The association published the brochure “Breast self-examination”; its total number of copies was 10,000 pcs.

The association takes part in and organizes campaigns which are as well an important component of public awareness and education including international ones.

Equally important area is information sufficiency and support during and after the treatment. The association's centers are staffed by cured patients who provide clients the necessary information, practical advice, especially their experience and support. Annually about 6,000 women visit them. The association offers clients both lymph and physiotherapy consulting services. Our rehabilitative stays are a good way to improve mental and physical health, to gain self-confidence. It organizes them mainly for women who completed their cancer treatment.

The Mamma HELP Centre in Prague provides since 2004 free AVON Breast Cancer Hotline staffed by trained volunteers; an oncologist psychologist answer the questions on the hotline in certain days. Our helpline gets on the average about 40 calls daily. It plays an especially important role in providing support to girls and women in small towns and rural areas. The association also offers oncology consulting services on the website www.mammahelp.cz provided by oncologist. About 10,000 visitors go to the website monthly. It publishes a regular monthly journal as well as many other publications, organizes various campaigns, events and exhibitions for a support and integration into everyday life of patients.

The Mamma HELP center network is the association main project.

No conflict of interest.