CRC Health Equity Grants: Women’s Coalition Against Cancer

The Women’s Coalition Against Cancer (WOCACA), located in Lilongwe, Malawi, is a women and girls led non-profit organization striving to alleviate the burden of reproductive and other cancers. WOCACA is contributing to cancer prevention and control through advocacy, awareness, and education, as well as counseling, screening, and patient support.  

With the CRC Health Equity Grant, WOCACA was able to carry out a needs assessment of colorectal cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and survivorship in Malawi and develop a policy brief for advocacy and awareness building. The assessment included a comprehensive literature review and field survey, including interviews with key stakeholders such as healthcare providers, patients, and Ministry of Health officials. Their report includes recommendations for the enhancement of colorectal cancer awareness among healthcare workers and the public, as well as increased infrastructure and human resources for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.  

“As Women’s Coalition Against Cancer, we usually work in hard-to-reach areas, in rural areas,” said Maud Mwakasungula, Executive Director of WOCACA. “There is not much known about colorectal cancer. That’s how we came to think that we should have the project where we look at the need assessment, of course prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, palliative care, and we should be able to develop programs from there. We are really glad to work with the Global Colon Cancer Association on this project, and we have been really glad to be given that opportunity.”

Find WOCACA on their website wocaca.org, @wocacamw on X (Formerly Twitter), and @WOCACAWomen on Facebook

Learn more about the CRC Health Equity Grants program and the great work of the 2023 recipients. Many thanks to the sponsors of the 2023 CRC Health Equity Grants, Bristol Myers Squibb, Seagen, Takeda Oncology, and Bayer. To become a sponsor of this program, please contact us.