Egypt Cancer Network is a model organization to follow for channeling support to Egypt

In his recent article published in Egyptian Newspaper,” El Shorouk” , renowned Egyptian American Economist Mohamed El Erian praises civil society’s endeavors namely U.S. based 501C3 Egypt Cancer Network founded in 2010 for being an on-going  channel of communication and support between Egyptian Americans and their homeland. Through such endeavors, Egyptian Immigrants concerned for the well fare of their motherland can still contribute even partially and incrementally towards its progress and advancement. He further explains that even when the political and economic conditions of the country appear to be hazy and unstable to the rest of the world, such civil society organizations remain permanent bridges or mediators ensuring that already existing ties between Egypt and the outside world are maintained.

Excerpt from Dr. El Erian’s article dated August 12, 2013 :

I think that opportunities still exist for Egyptians to organize  themselves around specific causes, to collect  relevant  data with respect to related needs and make this information easily available to Egyptians living abroad who wish to be of help. Organizations such as US based” Egypt Cancer Network(ECN)” is a model to be followed in order to facilitate the provision of resources and the collection of donations for an important cause( in the case of ECN, their goal is to provide resources that would enable Egyptian cancer patients to have access to free quality care and cure). The gathering of relevant data and information on how to support the development, sustainability, and follow-up on the operations  of such organizations would be greatly welcomed by potential supporters.

World famous economic expert Dr El-Erian, CEO of PIMCO(Pacific Investment Management Company)  made an important donation through ECN  to CCHE/Dana Farber Children’s Cancer Center Fellowship program and the architectural services for Hospital 57357’s future expansion to a health sciences campus. The latter  will include a 350 bed tower, a health sciences academy, research institute and radiology unit and will follow benchmark standards for a green hospital as well as energy self sufficiency through the use of renewable energy technologies .

Egypt Cancer Network 57357&AFNCI is a US-based, tax deductible, non-profit 501(c)(3). Their mission is to provide resources to Egyptian hospitals and non-profit organizations focused on cancer in the areas of patient care, scientific advancement and education. Their vision is to give the opportunity for cure and the highest quality of life to all Egyptian cancer patients.

“Outcome of Rhabdomyosarcoma in First Year of Life; Children’s Cancer Hospital-57357-Egypt” is the title of a recent study by a team of 57357 researchers and physicians. The research study was accepted for up-coming publication in the renowned Open Access journal Sarcoma. The study could impact the treatment path and outcome of infants in their first year of life with this disease type.

The management of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in infants less than one year is particularly problematic and requires a tailored therapeutic approach.

From their clinical observation of a sizeable population of (RMS) patients in their 1^st year of life, the 57357 team recommends to adopt aggressive surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. To decrease chemotherapy side effects, doses should be determined according to body weight only in infants and not according to body surface area as in adults or older children. According to 57357 findings, following this specific path of treatment, surgery/radiation/ chemotherapy, results in improved patients’ outcomes.

 Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common of the soft tissue sarcomas in children. These tumors develop from muscle or fibrous tissue and can grow in any part of the body. The most common areas of the body to be affected are around the head and neck, the bladder, the testes, the womb or the vagina.

During his visit to Hospital 57357, the Head of the religious institution Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, confirmed the willingness of Al-Azhar along with the Family House (Beit El Aila) and Dar El-Eftaa to support a campaign in favor of 57357.

In a meeting with a 57357 delegation headed by the Hospital’s Board of trustees VP, Mr. Amr Ezzat Salama, the Grand Imam expressed his appreciation for 57357’s efforts and commitment to the provision of free quality health care and cure to all children with cancer.

“Hospital 57357 has gained widespread recognition as a leading healthcare institution not only in Egypt but also in the Arab Region and the Middle East.  Moreover, it is pursuing to strengthen its position as a reputable research center working to improve on protocols and methods of treatment” said El Tayeb. He looked forward to the setting up of 57357 branches in all governorates, stressing that Egypt’s people are its wealth and the essence of its development and renaissance.

Ahmed Adel and Omar Mohamed are very close friends. Their friendship started when they were admitted to Hospital 57357 both suffering from the same disease which is Osteosarcoma. Ahmed was admitted in May 2012, just 2 months prior to Omar. Ahmed had the tumor in his left leg but Omar had it in his right leg, as if they were to complement each other.  Now, together, they enjoy their recovery or victory as they called it over their enemy “Cancer”.

At the beginning of their treatment, Ahmed and Omar felt too shy to say that they were cancer patients, but today they declare boldly:
“We are heroes… who have defeated such a terrible disease with much patience and determination”                                                                                                   

“When I first came to 57357, I thought it was just an ordinary hospital which provides patients with basic care. But very soon, I was amazed by its compassionate environment, capabilities and professionalism. I couldn’t believe that all these services were offered for free by an institution which is highly reliant on donations”, said Omar

“Our journey with this disease didn’t only bring pains but also fun. When we were hospitalized, we were asking to be placed in the same room or in neighboring rooms. The Hospital staff were very understanding and granted us our request”, said Ahmed.

“In spite of the unpleasant side effects of the chemotherapy treatment which lasted a whole year,  time flew by very fast without much suffering. We were enjoying our time together, playing and kidding around. The nurses were amazing, and the Doctors were so nice to us .They treated us  more as friends than as patients”, Omar explained.

Both Ahmed and Omar underwent surgery to replace their knee joints. As such, they were struggling to resume walking. However, they relied on each other as they received their treatment in the physiotherapy department. They are very thankful to the physiotherapist Dr Mustafa who helped them recover swiftly.

To practically thank the Hospital and the donors, they have volunteered to guide the visitors who come to donate to the Hospital, giving a real life example of 57357 heroes ….

The Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE) 57357 has occupied center stage in diagnosing, treating and caring for children with cancer in Egypt and the surrounding region. Moreover, it has firmly positioned itself as an institution that is in the pursuit of excellence, innovation, quality, and as a model of change in the healthcare field. The 185-bed state of the art facility is the largest freestanding pediatric oncology center in the world; having been built and being sustained completely by donations.  After six years of operation, CCHE was able to achieve a 70% over-all survival rate (OS) in the average. Soon after it had opened, the hospital reached 99-100% occupancy due to an increased patient base and increased demand for its quality services. As such, the need for capacity expansion is urgent as clinical and support spaces are stretched to capacity.

Because of Hospital 57357’s achievements and unsatisfied demand for its quality services, EgyptCancerNetwork,57357’s main U.S. based ally and partner, is supporting it to expand.

The 57357 Institution is committed to an important capacity and quality up- grade development scheme. The upcoming expansion is to be realized through a number of projects including  a new in-patient green LEED 300-bed tower annexed to the main building.  The new tower will achieve the following:

1. Increase the number of admitted patients from 25% to 60% of all annually diagnosed children with cancer in Egypt.

2- Set up a facility that will fulfill international requirements for green hospital design, energy efficiency and waste management and will-in the long run-decrease operating costs.

3.  Provide more operational space and/or introduce up-dated technology in a number of vital departments such as the neuro-oncology , bone-marrow transplantation, clinical pharmacy, radiotherapy , outpatient services and day care-treatmentdepartments.

 At this point, Egypt cancer Network has been instrumental in funding feasibility studies which were carried out for the new 300-bed tower as well as a Health Sciences training Academy, an advanced research center and the introduction of new therapy technology (proton therapy). All of these constitute what the 57357 administration has in store for its future development plan embodied in a Healthcare and Sciences Campus.  Recently, a tender was put out and 57357 is assessing the offers of a number of global architecture firms, in order to determine the best one to design and plan the campus.

These long-term projects will widen the hospital’s scope of services and at the same time would constitute valuable income- generating service surplus for the Hospital. As such the training Academy will be available for Egypt and its surrounding neighbors to breed a new generation of highly qualified healthcare professionals while the service surplus of proton therapy will be available to the adult population and generate revenue for 57357

ECN’s decision to support 57357’s expansion is the start of an exciting and challenging journey for the sake of allowing a greater number of children with cancer access to cure and a better future. .. To all of you who believe in the right of every child to the best quality healthcare….. Dare to rise with us to newer challenges!

During a visit to 57357 and quoting from the Holy Qur’an ,El-Sheikh Gamal Kotb prompted people to donate to the cause of children with cancer. “Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? ” said el-Sheikh Gamal Kotb during his visit to57357.

“I blame myself for having waited so long to visit this leading cancer healthcare institution,

which is a symbol to what Egyptians can do when they set their minds on it .All the money spent on this Hospital is but a fraction of all the goodness it provides. This is clearly seen in the passion, compassion and dedication of its staff at all levels in pursuing to offer all its patients and families comfort, free quality care, and hope in a better future. That is why everyone must contribute to 57357 through alms and Zakat. In so doing, it is as though we were lending Allah a loan which He will repay back in ways we cannot imagine in this lifetime and the next. My hope is that this hospitalwould be replicated to cater to different specialties and to most Egyptian provinces”, el-Sheikh Gamal Kotb explained .

For his part , El-Sheikh Omar Abd El-Kafi called on all Muslims, in every part of theworld, who want to be rewarded in paradise, to visit 57357 and sponsor a sick child’s treatment by giving alms or Zakah . “I pray to Allah for mercy and cure for 57357’s patients and all other patients as well”, said Abd El-Kafi .

  As a long workday at 57357 was about to finally end, I heard  a strident sound of joy resonating in the Hospital entrance hall. I turned around to look for its source. I saw a jovial face and eyes full of hope, gratefulness and happiness. It was the face of a middle-aged mother, dressed in the traditional long black dress ,with her young daughter giggling  beside her.

“Thanks be to God, my daughter Basmallah has been cured. I had absolutely no hope that one day my daughter  would be cured. Today, my life is starting again”,  the mother said with tears in her eyes while hugging her daughter.

Basmallah is a 7 year old girl, who  was admitted to  57357 in May 2010 to receive medical care for leukemia.” Today, after a 3 year treatment journey, Basmallah is officially recorded as one of the victorious cases over cancer, reveals her treating physician, Dr Lobna Shalaby.

“Distressed, depressed and hopeless, I accompanied my daughter everyday  to 57357 to receive the treatment. But soon enough, all these bad feelings were fading away as I witnessed the quality care my daughter  was receiving as well as watching her health improve day by day”, exclaimed Basmallah’s mother.

Throughout the treatment’s journey, they went through many ordeals together. As a child, it was very difficult for her to experience her hair falling out 3 times. She also went through severe physical pain, but as her mother explained, the wonderful medical and psychological care and support from all the Hospital staff made the load much easier to carry. “At one point,57357 social workers even managed to secure  us transportation costs from Alexandria as the family was going through financial crisis”, reveals Basmallah’s mother.

Basmallah is living in Alexandria, which is 220 km away from Cairo, and she had to come to Hospital 3 times a week.  “Thanks to the wonderful care and support we received, Basmallah and I felt very much at home at 57357″, says her mother.” They even celebrated my daughter’s 3 birthdays, with the third one falling  during the Hospital’s commemoration of five years of operation.. Everyone, happily took part in her birthday party – physicians, patients and her hospital friends with cancer” she added.

“I am so happy to be cured, to return to my school and to my favorite sport karate. I hope to become Egypt’s Karate champion.  I pray for my friends here that they may be healed like me.  The person I will miss most  is the receptionist, Ms Enas”,  says Basmallah.

Like a fairytale happy ending, Basmallah’s story also ends on a happy note: she is to flysoon  to Qatar to be with her father who works there, and her family will be reunited again. However, the Hospital’s role is not over yet; through email, her treating physician, Dr Lobna Shalaby will continue to closely follow up her case.

Why is Nursing different at 57357?

At 57357, Nurses are acknowledged for their vital role in the delivery of quality care

They are motivated to explore new paths for career improvement and professional enhancement

Is nursing different at 57357 because you cannot but be compassionate when dealing with the most helpless who are fighting a deadly disease? Or is it because Nurses at 57357 are fairly well remunerated in comparison with their peers in most Egyptian Hospitals? I had to get the answer from the nurses themselves, and interestingly enough it was very different than what I had expected. At Hospital 57357, a nurse will finally receive what she has been denied for so many years: respect, appreciation and recognition for the noble mission she is entrusted to carry out. From day one of working at 57357 she will also receive continuous training thatwill not only enable her to excel in her job but will also motivate her to explore new paths for career improvement and professional enhancement.

Neama Fouad, Chief Nursing officer (CNO) is proud of also carrying the title of VP of the Hospital for Nursing Affairs.  “I challenge you to find a nurse with a similar title in any other Egyptian Hospital”, she tells me.  She adds that since the start of operations at 57357, there was an earnest desire to produce real change in how society perceived the nursing career for decades, looking down upon this segment of healthcare professionals. 57357’s Administration acknowledged the nurses’ vital role in the delivery of quality healthcare within the framework of a multi-disciplinary medical treatment team nurses; engaging them in combined clinics and treatment strategy teams.

But 57357 had to prepare its nurses for that, as we all know that one of the reasons for this bad perception is that the majority of the nursing work force in Egypt lacked adequate training and education. Early on, a Nursing Education unit and an in-house training program were set-up to oversee that nurses at all career levels would receive adequate training and education. Out of them, some were promoted to being supervisors, preceptors, and clinical instructors. Others were eligible to receive the TOT (Training of Trainers) certification. The crowning of all these efforts was the 2year accreditation Hospital 57357 received in July 2012 as a Continuing nursing Education Provider from the American Nurses Credentialing Center(ACNN), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association.

Furthermore, some nurses were given the opportunity to explore and excel in new career paths, the first of their kinds for the nursing profession in Egypt.  Since the Hospital became almost entirely digitalized, the training of nurses on the utilization of the new informatics system was carried out by a group of them who later became specialized in that area.  This was no easy task as almost 75% of nurses lack the very basic English language and computer skills.  It is noteworthy that nurses were the first category of staff to successfully utilize the new system which was instrumental in reducing errors and improving patient care.

Also, what a sense of achievement for nurses Nesreen Fathy, RN, MSN, Fadia Bekhet, RN, BSN, Ragaa Elsayed, RN, BSN, Neama Foad, RN, BSN to present their first poster abstract at the 2012 International conference on Cancer Nursing in Prague on how a special nursing team was set-up to develop an intensive educational training course on Central venous Catheter (CVC) insertion, maintenance, and infection prevention.

It is no coincidence then that the turnover rate of Nurses (the ratio of the number of nurses that had to be replaced
in a given time period to the average number of working nurses) is declining over the period from 2011 till mid- 2013, as demonstrated by the following table produced by 57357’s HR department.

Turnover rate report :

” While the majority of nurses will leave because of lack of proximity, personnel family reasons, or job offers in the Arab countries, there is a noticeable drop in the turnover rate of nurses in the past two years ” reveals HR Director, Mr Ahmed Al Semary, “. One thing is certain, at 57357, nurses are always expressing how proud they are to be members of the nursing team.