Project Charter: Colon Cancer Awareness Campaign

Project Summary

Friends of Nablus conducted a Needs Assessment in 2021, which included research and engagement with local community partners in Nablus to determine areas of opportunity and impact. The findings from this Assessment included the identification of vulnerable population segments in the greater Nablus area, which includes Nablus and its surrounding neighborhoods. These vulnerable population segments include the elderly, special needs, women, and/or impoverished. Many of these population segments can not access preventative medical care and/or health screening opportunities to barriers that include inability to travel, lack of awareness, or a lack of means.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, colorectal cancer was the first cause of deaths in Palestine, followed by cardiovascular disease. Regular screening can be a key strategy to preventing colorectal cancer, by allowing for early detection of precancerous polyps, so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer or identify cancerous cells early, giving a better chance for successful treatment. Despite this, a national survey of cross-sectional Palestinian adults older than 50 years found that only 14% had undergone a colorectal cancer screening.

Friends of Nablus is partnering with An-Najah National University (NNU) to provide educational and awareness resources to support ongoing campaigns to increase participation in preventative colorectal cancer screenings. Phase I of the effort began in March 2022 and is expected to continue through July 2022, after which an interim evaluation period will assess initial initiative successes and challenges. The goal of the initiative is to reach preventative screening of 500 individuals within the greater Nablus area. Upon completion of the evaluation, Phase II will be implemented, which will be further defined.

FoN is not a medical provider and does not provide medical diagnoses or treatments. For this project, FoN serves as a conduit between educational resources and active medical work being done within Nablus by local hospitals, institutions, and organizations.

By supporting this work, FoN hopes to empower people in the greater Nablus area to access education about preventative screening and reduce the impact of colorectal cancer within the greater Nablus area, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Objectives

The defined objectives of this effort are as follows:

• Improve access to educational materials and awareness regarding colorectal cancer

• Improve access to educational materials and awareness regarding prevention screenings

• Advance FON’s partnerships with local institutions and organizations

• Increase awareness about FON’s mission and programs

• Contribute to improved public health within the greater Nablus area

Project Scope

In this project, FON is leveraging access to medical professionals to provide knowledge and medical insights to support sharing education and knowledge regarding colorectal cancer and preventative screening. This entails securing medical professionals to talk about preventative colorectal cancer screening on various platforms, including local television, radio, and other media outlets. Partners in this work, namely An-Najah National University Hospital (NNUH), will be responsible for executing the screenings, conducting the diagnoses, and referring for any necessary medical follow up. FON is targeting 5 awareness events during the duration of the effort. Success will be measured by capturing the number of awareness events held, participation in those events, determining the number of people who have participated in preventative screening events, and tracking the number of identified positive cases from the preventative screening events that resulted in follow-up colonoscopy treatment at An-Najah hospital. 

Primary Partners and Responsibilities

An-Najah National University Hospital (NNUH) is a key partner in this work. Their responsibilities include providing the screening tests, running the diagnostic tests, and providing any follow up medical care as needed. They are also responsible for coordination of the educational materials through media and publication.  The primary contact for NNUH is Kamal Hijjazi, CEO of NNUH. Secondary contact is Abdulkareem Barqawi, surgeon at NNUH.

FON is responsible for providing US expertise and access to medical trained professionals to participate in the awareness activities and assist in supporting the screening and diagnosis process as needed per agreement and coordination with An-Najah National University.