Latest news with #LorraineGovender
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Cansa: Healthy workplaces aid early cancer detection
'We know only too well that the workplace often leaves employees little or no time to seek medical advice from healthcare professionals,' said Lorraine Govender, the Cansa national manager for health promotion. 'We also know that this often leads people to input their symptoms into Google or other search platforms, hoping to get sensible answers and advice.' Many people are reluctant to seek proactive medical advice due to a complex interplay of social, cultural, psychological and systemic factors. Practical challenges, such as taking time off work, long waiting periods and limited access to healthcare professionals, further discourage timely health consultations. Cancer symptoms alone generate hundreds of thousands of Google searches each month across the globe. ''Dr Google' is a poor substitute for regular cancer screenings and medical check-ups by qualified health professionals,' warned Govender. 'The generic and sometimes conflicting advice produced by Google and AI-powered platforms like Copilot and ChatGPT often causes more confusion and may result in missed diagnoses of serious conditions.' To mark Corporate Wellness Week, which took place from July 1 to 5, Govender believes it is the ideal opportunity to address this issue. Bringing health solutions into the workplace A proactive approach to employee health can significantly reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. This not only enhances employee well-being but also reduces sick days and improves productivity, ultimately contributing to business continuity and sustainability. Cansa has developed a comprehensive workplace wellness programme, offering general health and cancer screenings alongside health-boosting advice directly within the corporate environment. 'We take a multi-faceted approach to assist employees in lowering their risk, not only for cancer but for other non-communicable diseases too. 'Through various services and activities, we promote the benefits of a healthy work environment and encourage employees to adopt positive lifestyle habits and schedule regular medical check-ups,' explained Govender. Employers need to understand that a cancer diagnosis does not necessarily mean an employee has to reduce working hours or leave the workforce. Early detection significantly increases the chance of positive outcomes. The benefits for employers and employees. Corporate wellness initiatives offer far-reaching benefits. By integrating health services into the workplace, companies help achieve sustainable development goals such as promoting good health and well-being, supporting a productive and inclusive workforce and fostering sustainable economic growth. 'Employee wellness programmes are not just a perk, they are a strategic investment. They help to build a healthier, more resilient and motivated workforce, which is essential in today's competitive business landscape,' Govender noted. How the programme works The programme is funded by the employer and is free of charge to employees. 'The frequency of the programme is tailored to each company's needs. It can be a one-day initiative, run over several days, or repeated multiple times a year based on the organisation's request,' said Govender. In addition to screenings and personalised health advice, Cansa's corporate wellness days may feature educational talks and interactive exhibitions covering a range of cancer-related topics. Presentations often focus on the most common cancers affecting men and women in South Africa. Informational leaflets and demonstration models are provided to educate employees on self-examination techniques. Supporting cancer risk reduction in South Africa 'The importance of health risk assessments and screenings cannot be overstated. Cancer is a growing health priority in South Africa and around the world. 'According to the 2021 Percept Report, cancer cases in South Africa are projected to double to 220,000 new cases annually by 2030,' said Govender. By partnering with Cansa, companies can play a crucial role in lowering the nation's cancer risk and supporting a culture of wellness at work. For enquiries about Cansa's Corporate Wellness Programme, complete the online booking form or email [email protected] At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Workplace wellness key to early cancer detection, says Cansa
'We know only too well that the workplace often leaves employees little or no time to seek medical advice from healthcare professionals,' said Lorraine Govender, the Cansa national manager for health promotion. 'We also know that this often leads people to input their symptoms into Google or other search platforms, hoping to get sensible answers and advice.' Many people are reluctant to seek proactive medical advice due to a complex interplay of social, cultural, psychological and systemic factors. ALSO READ: Cansa launches WhatsApp channel for support Practical challenges, such as taking time off work, long waiting periods and limited access to healthcare professionals, further discourage timely health consultations. Cancer symptoms alone generate hundreds of thousands of Google searches each month across the globe. ''Dr Google' is a poor substitute for regular cancer screenings and medical check-ups by qualified health professionals,' warned Govender. 'The generic and sometimes conflicting advice produced by Google and AI-powered platforms like Copilot and ChatGPT often causes more confusion and may result in missed diagnoses of serious conditions.' To mark Corporate Wellness Week, which took place from July 1 to 5, Govender believes it is the ideal opportunity to address this issue. Bringing health solutions into the workplace A proactive approach to employee health can significantly reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. This not only enhances employee well-being but also reduces sick days and improves productivity, ultimately contributing to business continuity and sustainability. ALSO READ: Cansa launches virtual cancer support group to combat isolation Cansa has developed a comprehensive workplace wellness programme, offering general health and cancer screenings alongside health-boosting advice directly within the corporate environment. 'We take a multi-faceted approach to assist employees in lowering their risk, not only for cancer but for other non-communicable diseases too. 'Through various services and activities, we promote the benefits of a healthy work environment and encourage employees to adopt positive lifestyle habits and schedule regular medical check-ups,' explained Govender. Employers need to understand that a cancer diagnosis does not necessarily mean an employee has to reduce working hours or leave the workforce. Early detection significantly increases the chance of positive outcomes. The benefits for employers and employees. Corporate wellness initiatives offer far-reaching benefits. By integrating health services into the workplace, companies help achieve sustainable development goals such as promoting good health and well-being, supporting a productive and inclusive workforce and fostering sustainable economic growth. 'Employee wellness programmes are not just a perk, they are a strategic investment. They help to build a healthier, more resilient and motivated workforce, which is essential in today's competitive business landscape,' Govender noted. ALSO READ: Give back on #GivingTuesday with Cansa's eShop How the programme works The programme is funded by the employer and is free of charge to employees. 'The frequency of the programme is tailored to each company's needs. It can be a one-day initiative, run over several days, or repeated multiple times a year based on the organisation's request,' said Govender. In addition to screenings and personalised health advice, Cansa's corporate wellness days may feature educational talks and interactive exhibitions covering a range of cancer-related topics. Presentations often focus on the most common cancers affecting men and women in South Africa. Informational leaflets and demonstration models are provided to educate employees on self-examination techniques. Supporting cancer risk reduction in South Africa 'The importance of health risk assessments and screenings cannot be overstated. Cancer is a growing health priority in South Africa and around the world. 'According to the 2021 Percept Report, cancer cases in South Africa are projected to double to 220,000 new cases annually by 2030,' said Govender. By partnering with Cansa, companies can play a crucial role in lowering the nation's cancer risk and supporting a culture of wellness at work. For enquiries about Cansa's Corporate Wellness Programme, complete the online booking form or email [email protected]. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
South Africa: Cansa brings health experts and services to the workplace
'We know only too well that the workplace often leaves employees little or no time to seek out medical advice from healthcare professionals,' says Lorraine Govender, the Cancer Association of South Africa's (Cansa) national manager: health promotion. 'We also know that this often leads people to input their symptoms into Google or other search platforms, hoping to get sensible answers and advice.' Most people are reluctant to seek proactive medical advice due to a complex interplay of social, cultural, psychological, and systemic factors. Practical barriers such as having to take off from work, long waiting times, limited access to healthcare providers, are some of the factors. Cancer symptoms alone draw hundreds of thousands of Google searches each month worldwide. ''Dr Google' is a poor substitute for regular cancer screenings and medical check-ups by health experts,' warns Govender. 'The generic and sometimes conflicting advice generated by Google and AI-powered services such as Copilot and ChatGPT, often leads to more confusion and can result in missed diagnoses of serious illness. 'As Corporate Wellness Week (1 to 5 July) approaches, it is an excellent time to come up with solutions to this challenge,' adds Govender. Bringing a health solution into the workplace A proactive approach by companies to employee health, lowers the risk of illness and chronic diseases, resulting in fewer sick days and less absenteeism rates. This directly contributes to maintaining business continuity and reducing disruptions. Cansa has developed a comprehensive employee wellness programme that brings general health and cancer screening, as well as health-boosting advice into the workplace. 'We take a multi-faceted approach to assist employees to lower their risk of not only cancer, but also other non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease,' explains Govender. 'Through a range of services and activities, we promote the benefits of a healthy work environment and how employees can improve their health through positive lifestyle changes and regular medical check-ups.' Employers should be aware that receiving a cancer diagnosis does not mean employees would have to work fewer hours or quit their careers. Although cancer can be devastating, the likelihood of a successful outcome is significantly increased when the disease is detected early. The benefits are far reaching for both employers and employees. When companies bring health services into the workplace, it helps them to towards achieving several sustainable development goals, such as ensuring the good health and wellbeing of employees, enabling a healthy workforce that contributes to productivity, job satisfaction and sustainable economic growth, and promoting inclusivity and equality in the workplace. Employee wellness programmes are not just a perk, but a strategic investment for employers seeking to improve organisational performance and workplace culture. Investing in employee wellness builds a healthier, more resilient, and motivated workforce, which is crucial for organisational success in a competitive business environment. How it works This service is paid for by the employer and is free to employees. "The frequency of the programme throughout the year is based on each company's needs. We can run it as a one-day initiative, extend it over several days, or repeat it multiple times a year – depending on the organisation's request,' explains Govender. In addition to providing health screenings and advice, Cansa's corporate wellness days or events may include educational talks and interactive exhibitions featuring cancer-related topics and tips to lower cancer risk. Presentations, for example, can focus on the top cancers affecting men and affecting women in South Africa. Leaflets on these topics and more may be provided, as well as models to help to demonstrate self-examination techniques. Help to reduce cancer statistics Concludes Govender: 'The importance of health risk assessments and screenings cannot be overstated. Cancer is a fast-growing health priority around the world and in South Africa. According to the 2021 Percept Report, the incidence of cancer in South Africa, is set to double to 220,000 new cases a year by 2030.' Companies can help to reduce South Africa's cancer risk by working with Cansa to reduce their employees' health risks.
