SUPPORTING WOMEN'S CANCERS

SUPPORTING WOMEN’S CANCERS

CHALLENGE

In 2009, preliminary work began to expand the New Brunswick Breast Cancer Information Partnership (NBBCIP) into the New Brunswick Breast and Women’s Cancer Partnership (NBBWCP). This was a response to grassroots requests for information about gynecological cancers (ovarian, cervical and uterine), and a response to a profile of women’s cancer presented at the Atlantic Think Tank on Women’s Cancers in 2008. The challenge of restructuring the bilingual, volunteer-led organization was a task which required expertise and resources.

SOLUTION

From 2009 to 2013, NBBCIP / NBBWCP contracted The Quaich Inc. to help develop and coordinate its expansion to gynecological cancers, which was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Partnership revised its organizational structure, updated its by-laws, re-branded the Partnership, created new educational materials, and is continually training a network of volunteer navigators. A key element of the project has been reaching out to women who are traditionally underserved: linguistically, geographically and culturally. Throughout the project, The Quaich Inc. has provided expertise in proposal writing, partnership development, project coordination, facilitation, research, report writing, event planning, and evaluation.