By Anne Whitehead
The Sound Cup café (3rd floor Garden City Mall, Kampala) will be donating 1000 UGX from every coffee sold in the month of October to support the Uganda Women’s Cancer Support Organization’s outreach and patient support activities.
Credit is due to Maurice Kirya for opening his heart – and dedicating a portion of the profits of his café – to this cause during International Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2015. Maurice has personal experience with the disease, as his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, which unfortunately metastasized and turned into a years-long fight for her life. Maurice and his siblings were there for their mother, navigating through the challenges typically faced by Ugandans who are seeking cancer care in Uganda: from stigma and common misunderstandings, to poorly equipped hospitals and tough treatment side effects, to reclaiming an enjoyable life after being worn out by exhausting and expensive treatment cycles. Unfortunately, Maurice’s mother lost her life to cancer only a few weeks ago. Strong and compassionate as ever, Maurice Kirya is moving on with his life and giving back to other Ugandans who are still fighting cancer, so that with the right help, they can survive.
For us, this campaign is so personal. In addition to Maurice’s experience as a cancer caregiver, I have also been through cancer. I met Maurice in 2009 when I was managing Crystalklear studio in Kololo, and in 2010 I opened up to him about my own diagnosis. I had to leave Kampala suddenly to return to Canada for surgery and chemotherapy, and it would be years until I returned to Kampala, a survivor. When I saw Maurice again in 2014, he asked me about my experience and shared with me what he was going through.
It is not easy to talk about cancer, especially when it hits the reproductive system – which was the case for me and is overall most common, with cervical cancer now about half of all Ugandan cancer cases – but talking about my experience with my old friend Maurice helped. If we can talk about it, then we can encourage others to get tested for cancer, we can support the afflicted and lobby for more investment in Uganda’s medical system.
Together, we planned to do something about cancer care in Uganda. That promise is being kept this month as Maurice Kirya’s café The Sound Cup, Kampala – on the 3rd floor of Garden City Mall – will be donating 1000 shillings from each cup of coffee sold toward the cancer support group UWOCASO.
The Uganda Women’s Cancer Support Organization (UWOCASO) is a voluntary NGO made up of Ugandan female cancer survivors who go into hospitals and communities to spread information about cancer, dispel myths, encourage cervical and prostate testing, teach breast self-examination, navigate patients through the medical system and provide knowledge and support to address the challenges that come with treatment and survival.
Story Credit: Whiteheadcommunications.com