A First for South Africa

South Africa was jubilant at the 14th UICC / Reach to Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Conference, held in Stockholm, Sweden from 30 May to 2 June 2007. Why . . . ?
Our own Ann Steyn was elected as the President of Reach to Recovery International.

The news was greeted with enthusiastic cries from the ten South African delegates who were present at the Conference. While we may not get the same coverage as the impending 2010 Football World Cup, this is indeed an auspicious honour for South Africa. Ann, who is a Cape-tonian has been involved with Reach for Recovery since 1992, initially as a Volunteer Visitor. She subsequently became a member of the National Executive in 1995 and has served as National Coordinator since 2001 until this year when she stood down. She was also Vice Chair of the Western Cape Cansa Board.

Ann has been involved in development of the Reach for Recovery programme in South, North, West and East Africa. She has organised the training of volunteers from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Many breast cancer survivors have been empowered by these training courses and have gone on to form support groups in their countries. As a result many urvivors have had the support they need at such a traumatic time, and other women have had the opportunity to learn more about breast cancer.

As a result of this work Ann was honoured with the Terese Lasser Award in 2005. This is an international award which is conferred on an RRI volunteer who has “introduced, initiated or contributed to the development of a new Reach to Recovery programme in an exceptional way.”

Apart from her growing committment to RfR Southern Africa, Ann has been involved internationally for some time, serving on the National Committee of Reach to Recovery and the Editorial Board of “bloom” Reach to Recovery’s International Newsletter. Reach to Recovery is a support proramme of the UICC (International Organisation Against Cancer) based in Geneva,Switzerland.

We are proud of you Ann!
We salute your efforts for RfR South and Southern Africa and look forward to supporting you during your term as International President.