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Who are we
Global Cancer Care Egypt – United Kingdom (GCCE-UK) is the Egyptian arm of the Global Cancer Care charity. Currently, the work done in Egypt takes the lion share of the charity’s operations. GCCE-UK was conceived in 2002 by Dr Nabil Isshak and Dr Isis Sidhom, who drew inspiration from their personal encounters with palliative care in Egypt and the UK. It became clear to them that the concept of palliative care in Egypt was still in its infancy and as such many patients were suffering. The objective of the charity was to spread palliative care principles widely in Egypt to enhance the quality of care provided to patients and their families.
Concurrently, Dr Samira Iskander-Gabra, a palliative medicine specialist at the Marie Curie Hospice in Birmingham, was pursuing a similar plan. Recognising their shared goal, Nabil, Isis, and Samira joined forces, combining their knowledge and expertise.
Additionally, the project sought support from staff at St. Luke’s Hospice in Sheffield and the Rotherham Hospice in Rotherham, as well as trustees of Global Cancer Care (GCC), a British Charity based in Swansea. GCC had extensive operations in India and Sudan in the past. GCCE-UK became part of GCC in 2007 and over the years it has gradually become the main operation of GCC.
Mission statement
The mission of Global Cancer Care Egypt – United Kingdom is to promote and deliver exceptional palliative care and support, aimed at enhancing the quality of life for patients and their families throughout Egypt.
Our goals are achieved through a holistic approach that addresses all aspects of palliative care encompassing: physical, psychological, social, and financial needs. By fostering collaboration and teamwork among multi-professional care teams, we ensure that individuals receive full support, compassionate care, and expert advice at our day centres and within their homes.
We are dedicated to supporting and empowering professional caregivers and volunteers through ongoing assistance and training opportunities, both locally and in the United Kingdom as needed.
Additionally, we actively encourage networking and education among our centres, facilitating conferences that promote best practices and continuous learning.
Recognizing the importance of equitable access to palliative care, we strive to establish new centres in underserved areas, extending our reach to those who currently lack or have limited access to these essential services.
Furthermore, we provide financial assistance to palliative care centres where it is deemed necessary, ensuring their sustainable operation and growth.
In pursuit of our mission, we foster collaboration with other organizations and actively work towards the establishment of a national association of palliative care in Egypt. By joining forces with like-minded entities, we collectively contribute to the advancement of palliative care nationwide, bringing comfort, dignity, and relief to individuals and families facing the challenges of cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.
STRATEGY 2024
GCCE-UK is the Egyptian division of the registered Global Cancer Care charity.
Vision
GCCE-UK – where compassion knows no borders, and hope transcends distances.
At the core of our organisation lies a profound commitment to alleviating the burden of cancer and to meeting the palliative care needs for cancer patients and their families in Egypt.
Purpose
GCCE-UK aims to promote the delivery of a high standard of palliative and end of life care to cancer patients and their families throughout Egypt.
Our service aims to enable a compassionate, holistic, and supportive approach in all aspects of palliative care to enhance the quality of life for individuals during their palliative journey.
Plan 2024-2028
Six strategic themes: Care and Support; Project Planning; Valuing; Raising our Profile; Education and Training; Financial Growth.
- Care and Support
- Identify the growing needs of patients and families requiring support through contact with the centre co-ordinators in Egypt.
- Identify the needs and challenges for staff and volunteers in Egypt through contact with the centres, on visits, via the staff WhatsApp group, and Zoom training sessions.
- Project Planning
- Identify projects requiring support by establishing the specific needs of the centres.
- Obtain consistent information from all the sites every quarter in the form of a report.
- Valuing
- Value the staff and volunteers in Egypt by visiting the centres and by sending messages of support, greetings, and appreciation.
- Value donors and volunteers in the UK by updating them with a regular newsletter.
- Raising our Profile
- Establish ways of promoting the organisation – cards, merchandise, social media.
- Continue to update the website and include more individual stories/scenarios.
- Produce regular updates for regular givers/donors and where appropriate put these on the website.
- Education and Training
- Provide ongoing education and training for health care professionals and volunteers by identifying gaps in knowledge and skills.
- In Egypt – via ECHO/Zoom utilising palliative care professionals and facilitating knowledge exchange.
- In UK – by health care professionals from Egypt attending training at St. Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield.
- Promote nursing skills by working towards a training programme for Health Care Assistants at the centres in Egypt.
- Financial Growth
- Identify ways of raising more funds
- Identify any grants available.
- Use specific projects to encourage and provide a focus for financial giving on the website and on social media.
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