Fundraising gala dinner for cancer awareness

Local non-profit organisation Cancer Overcomers will hold a gala dinner at the Port Alfred Civic Centre on April 30.

Organisers Sinethemba Matyumza and Phumezwa Maneli said they were hoping the gala dinner would attract enough of an audience to be able to start a Port Alfred Cancer Overcomers branch that could continue spreading cancer awareness in the area.

The organisation was founded in 2017 by a group of women cancer survivors in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), with the aim of educating people about cancer and giving muchneeded support to cancer patients and their families.

“This is our first event in Port Alfred and the main aim is to bring the works of the NPO here,” Matyumza said.

Maneli added: “When we started the NPO, it was to try and show people that you can overcome cancer and also give support to cancer patients and the people who are living with cancer patients.”

The NPO’s future aim is to also work in collaboration with other health organisations in bringing cancer outreach programmes to the Port Alfred area.

The gala dinner is part of the NPO’s ongoing outreach initiative that seeks to raise awareness and educate people about the different types of cancer, especially those targeting the black community where there is greater need for information about cancer.

“We want to give support to people around the community who live with cancer patients,” Matyumza said.

“We want to raise awareness in the community about all types of cancer because we’ve seen that the majority of people only know about a select few types of cancer.

“Even children can get cancer and that is something we find that people are not aware of, especially within the black community.

“We want to share stories of hope from people living with cancer and that it is possible to overcome it.”

Through the gala dinner, funds will be raised to support the NPO’s plan to open a local centre that will not only support cancer patients, but those with other diseases as well.

On the night, a raffle will take place with prizes donated by StendenSA, as well as an accommodation voucher at My Pond Hotel for one night, two Friday braai vouchers and a Mother’s Day lunch buffet voucher.

The Water Bar is sponsoring water and Kowie Tobacco is sponsoring menu items for the gala dinner.

Matyumza and Maneli said the community’s response to the initiative had been very positive.

However, they added that the NPO still faced financial challenges and was in need of more sponsors.

Tickets are available for R170 single and R1,700 for corporate groups of 10.

To purchase tickets or find out more information, contact Matyumza on 076-887-4041 or Maneli on 072-201-3604.