GREEK SPEAKING volunteers are urgently needed to help support a groundbreaking new medical alert service being launched in Cyprus.
The two-way, free SMS system will alert women in Cyprus to remind them when it’s time for their cancer check-ups.
“We need to collect 8,000 signatures to make the system viable,” said Paphos based project founders Gina Ghillyer and Louise Van Rooij.
Last Friday and Saturday at Orphanides supermarkets across the island, volunteers helped obtain signed consent forms from shoppers, which is a requirement of the data protection act.
“We need people to fill in the whole form correctly otherwise it will result in us sending the wrong reminder messages to the incorrect age group,” stressed Ghillyer.
Although a number of English speaking volunteers turned up to help, Greek speakers are urgently required for the coming weekend.
“The staff of Orphanides was fantastic,” praised Ghillyer, “We had announcements about the campaign throughout the day via the P.A. system. But, we were really lacking Greek speakers. I urge [those who] can speak Greek to come and help us this coming weekend. You will be helping to save lives.”
Volunteers are supplied with a branded sunflower campaign T-shirt, (the name of the campaign), and Ghillyer provides training about what’s involved.
“It’s a new system not only for Cyprus, but also for the world,” said Van Rooij. “The concept is a reminder service, which will send an SMS message to women to remind then to go for a mammogram, or a test for cervical cancer.”
The two-way system will enable the recipient to reply ‘yes’, or ‘no’, and also respond if they would like to be reminded again in a year’s time.
On Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18, the Orphanides stores in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos are helping volunteers, and the cancer support charities to collect names and addresses for the Sunflower Project.
“Everyone needs to join forces, and stand united because were all fighting the same thing,” urged Ghillyer.
At the press of a button, the organisers hope they will be able to prevent cancer cases or ensure women are alerted in time to receive lifesaving treatment. The service, which is initially for women, will also provide a service for men in the future.
“This system is for all women living here,” Ghillyer told the Cyprus Mail. “I think the Cypriot women are a little bit nervous about being approached by English speakers, and we really need to be able to break down that language barrier and use Greek speakers to explain what we’re doing. It’s for their benefit after all.”
Medical professionals are hoping the system will be fully operational soon, as it will enable them to collect valuable information about cancer cases, and the demographic pattern of cancer in Cyprus.
“We’re hoping the data will also be able to aid in medical research,” said Ghillyer.
Hundreds of signatures were collected during the first weekend, and Paphos came out on top collecting five hundred signatures at the new Orphanides store in the Mall of Paphos.
‘It’s a good start,’ confirmed Ghillyer, ‘but we need a huge push this coming weekend if we’re going to hit our target figure of eight thousand signatures.”
The volunteers will be campaigning at the stores on shifts throughout the two days.
“If people in Paphos would like to help, you can come along to the Mall anytime between 10am to 6pm,” said Ghillyer, “We really need Greek speakers.”
“We need to create awareness and help to prevent cancer,” said Van Rooij.
For more information call Tom Handley, chairperson of the Cancer Patients’ Support Group Paphos on 26-654007 or visit www.sunflower.org.cy
