Increasing of Breast Cancer Awareness in Oxfam - Research Proposal Example

Name: Course: Institution: Date: Oxfam Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign- Grant Proposal Project abstract The problem of breast cancer is considered as a political, social, and medical problem. From a political perspective, breast cancer not only affects the ability of the population to engage in the process of authoritative allocation of resources but it also affects the nature of resource distribution in terms of equity (Griese 34). This is because areas perceived as affected with this phenomenon will require more financial resources to address both the developmental and medical related complication among the population such as breast cancer. Whenever the catastrophe of breast cancer arises, an individual must ask two human questions: Why did this happen to me? How can I protect my female friends and relatives? Oxfam proposes a one-year program aimed at equipping the female population in marine up-to date on existing courting edge breast cancer research initiatives and encourage the development of local research initiatives on breast cancer causes and the possible interventions. Organization overview Oxfam is a global international nongovernmental organization which is populated by millions of stakeholders who operate on the belief that in a world rich with numerous resources, poverty and disease related complications are not inevitable. According to Oxfam, to be able to realize change in mitigating poverty and disease awareness it is necessary to develop political solutions which will help in addressing the root cases of poverty and diseases, and create societies in which empowered individuals can prosper. As a way of addressing poverty and disease related complications, in 2011, Oxfam became a partner with the Breast cancer Awareness Network (BCAN), which is a nongovernmental organization located in Marin County. The two organizations operate on the belief that while research is an essential component of handling issues related to breast cancer, it is important to conduct activities related to community eductaion. For BCAN and Oxfam, this eductaion includes the provision of information on alternative diets, heath care, and environmental issues that are of importance when addressing breast cancer. Through the partnership, these organizations have been instrumental in sponsoring screening of breast cancer on potential and actual patients. In addition, these organizations have also been active in organizing training sessions for communities around Marin General hospital as a technique of ensuring that more members of the community are equipped with the most essential information on breast cancer. These training sessions have been effective in terms of enabling early diagnosis and interventions to minimize the prevalence of cancer. To ensure continuous success and expansion of the program Oxfam is seeking a grant with the objective of helping those at risk of contacting of suffering from the effect of breast cancer to acquire timely and effective information on the necessary intervention mechanisms. An additional objective is that by the end of the end of the year the organizations will have doubled on its target population and raised awareness levels on breast cancer. Project description Through this project, the women of Marin will be able to have answers to these questions. Among American women, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer. According to the available statics in 1965, approximately 60,000 cases were diagnosed. By mid-1995, the number of diagnosed cases tripled considering that about 180, 000 cases were reported. This was despite a 38% population increase in the United States (Griese 44). The United States is considered as a country of interest because the rates of breast cancer cases are more than six times higher than other developed nations. Marin County is considered the leader in terms of the number of diagnosed counties reported in the United States. On average approximately 200 women are diagnosed of cancer in Marin County annually (Tot 12). This explains why currently more than 1,000 are either living with the disease or form part of breast cancer survivors. The survivors of breast cancer are at the greatest risk because of the genetic link of the disease and this means that their daughters and their female relatives are at a high risk of contracting the disease (McCormick 111). There exists limited evidence to explain the high prevalence of breast cancer in Marin County. Factors such as childbearing history, age and hereditary issues, account for about 30% of the variance. Pioneering research initiatives in the country have developed methodologies that promise an expansion of knowledge explaining the unknown 70% (Tot 32). These include: In-depth survey to facilitate the identification of personal and environmental risk factors such as exposure to workplace toxins, insecticides, and pesticides Computer mapping initiatives to help in correlation breast cancer cases with data on toxin use, industrial waste dumping, and high intensity electromagnetic sources. Environmental research indicatives to facilitate tracing of the process of toxin circulation within the local system Oxfam’s Breast Cancer Awareness Project will enable women in Marin County to acquire essential information on breast cancer. This will be through the organization of awareness campaigns that will be conducted in different platforms and using different forms of media platforms. As a way of reaching out to more young women and girls, the project will conduct quarterly eductaion forums in high schools within Marin County. Guest speakers, majorly cancer specialists, will facilitate some of the student forums. Furthermore, young cancer patients and survivors will also be part of the program to provide real life experiences to the students. In some cases, a group of 5-8 community educators who have trained on the awareness program will be tasked with the responsbility of facilitating high school sessions. The main objective of using these groups will be to ensure that the surrounding community owns the program. With the help of professional writers an editors derived from the local news organizations, this program will developed a 5 page quarterly newsletter aimed at keeping the Marin community informed of the recent research initiatives and development on breast cancer. To ensure that more members of the target population acquire this information Oxfam will publish this information on its website and its social media sites. Furthermore, physical mailing will also be done and the mailing list will be obtained from Marin General Hospital database of about 1,000 past attendees of adult breast cancer forums. Upon development of the proposals, they will be distributed to different government and international agencies with the interest and the ability of supporting research and development processes aimed at mitigating the threat posed by breast cancer not only in Marin County but also in other areas within the United States. The program will also be involved in the promotion of research initiatives. The board at Oxfam will work in collaboration with a contracted grant writer to develop proposals aimed at supporting research initiatives on breast cancer. Through the promotion of such research initiatives, the organization will be facilitating the process of building additional body of knowledge on the best techniques that can be used in boosting breast cancer interventions using the available technology. The element of political responsbility forms an essential part of this project. This is because by seeking financial assistance from government bodies, the organization will be promoting the ability of the government to serve the interests of the ailing population (Griese 56). To ensure successful implementation and realization of the objectives of the project, it will be dived into two 27-week sessions. The first session will be laying foundation on information related to breast cancer. This will involve introductory sessions in high schools on social media and in adult forums. The session will be followed by a random test on the target population to assess their level of understanding of problems and interventions related to breast cancer. The second phase of the session will involve the provision of in-depth information on matters related to breast cancer. This will involve updated research on varieties of information related to the causes and interventions of breast cancer related situations. This will be followed by a random test to assess the level of awareness. The project will be subjected to a detailed monitoring and evaluation process, which will be conducted by parties external to the project. The main objective of this process will be to assess the success of the project in using the variable resources in actualizing the intended objectives. Monitoring and evaluation process will also involve an assessment of the extent to which the project was able to realize its goals and objectives. Through this assessment, the monitoring and evaluation process will also involve an assessment of the possible challenges that may have made relatively difficult for the project to realize its goals and objectives. Project goals and objectives To increase the level of awareness on the prevalence of breast cancer in Marin County by 50% through breast cancer awareness campaigns and research in the next one year Project objectives To provide 1200 adults in Marin County with intensive information related to breast cancer causes and research into the possible causes of the disease. To provide 20,000 high schools students with intensive information about the causes of breast cancer and the research initiatives on the possible causes and interventions of breast cancer Provide 1800 families with follow up information on the progress made in understanding the causes and the possible interventions of cancer Reach out to 100,000 people with generalized information on the cause of breast cancer and the possible interventions using mail media and social networking sites Generate additional funding for the following breast cancer related projects 1. Studies on the role of the environment in promoting the prevalence of breast cancer 2. Computer mapping of breast cancer related cases and their relationship with environmental factors Project timelines Activities Expected dates Submit grant proposal March, 2016 Expected grant notification April, 2016 Obtaining relevant equipment for the breast cancer awareness campaign May, 2015 Set up a breast cancer awareness centers in Marin County May, 206 Training session for those involved in the campaign May, 2016 Mapping areas for the campaign May, 2016 Begin first 27 weeks phase June, 2016- December, 2016 Test the level of awareness on breasts cancer and possible interventions in Marin County January, 2017 Prepare results report January, 2017 Begin the second 27 week phase January 2017- May, 2017 Test level of breast cancer awareness and possible interventions May, 2017 Prepare results report May, 2017 Engage in in monitoring and evaluation of the success of the project with regard to project goals and objectives June 2017 Expected project outcomes Outcome Target level Approximately 1200 adults provided with intensive information on the causes of breast cancer and the possible interventions An increase in the percentage of the population with additional knowledge on the causes of breast cancer and the possible interventions Moiré than 20,000 high school students empowered with intensive information on breast cancer and the available information on intervention An 80% increase in the population of high school students with intensive information on breast cancer and the possible interventions facilitated by research. More than 2,000 families registered for follow-up information on breast cancer interventions 80% increase in the number of families registered to receive follow up information on cancer related issues. Acquisition of additional funding for research on the relationship between Brest cancer and environmental factors Acquisition of 100% funding for research initiatives aimed at assessing the relationship between the causes of breast cancer and environmental factors. Project budget The project will finance specific activities and investments as a strategy of obtaining its objectives through a grant from the resources from the federal and state health departments. The estimated cost of the project is US$ 1 million. The areas are summarized by investment categories in the table below Invests category Amount (US$) % Program monitoring and administration 7,300 7.3 Direct costs 877,000 87.7 Investment in protective infrastructure 35700 35.7 Direct support in promoting sustainable awareness program 37700 37.7 Institutional building for sustainable breast cancer awareness program 14300 14.3 Evaluation and external auditing 3000 3.0 Contingences 2,000 2.0 Total 1,000,000 100 The program will be carried out in 12 months and the disbursement period will be 10 months. A revolving fund, which is about 4% equivalent to the total grant, will be preserved to ensure the provision of liquidity for disbursements Program management and implementation plan In terms of its execution and administration, the main beneficiaries will Marin County and the executing agency will be Oxfam under the authority of the organizations’ country director. Based on Oxfam’s experience in implementation of community awareness programs, the organizational structure will include experienced fulltime staff working on the implementation of the program. The staff may also include personnel appointed by the state and federal governments to oversee the implementation process. To ensure active participation of local community, breast cancer awareness campaign management committee will be formed in each of the selected areas within Marin County. Each will be composed of representatives from the executing agency and the local community (Russo and Irma, 24). The role of these committees will be to approve the management plan for the awareness program and countersign the evaluation report. It will be a requirement for the executing agency to prove to the funding governments that it has the ability of implementing the program in collaboration with Marin County government. The role of the county government will be to assist in arranging for authorization, permits and other local formalities required in the awareness program Monitoring and evaluation As the executing agency, Oxfam will be engage in in the preparation and sending to the federal and state governments the status report within 30 days after the end of each implementation phase for the duration of the program. Through the project monitoring and management system, the executing agency will integrate financial and accounting management with the outcomes achieved in relation to the outcome indictors. Through the report, the executing agency will outline the extent by which the objectives have been achieved, the challenges faced and the corrective measures adopted. The state and federal governments will agree on any adjustments to the program upon discussion of the monitoring reports during the monitoring meetings. As part of the evaluation strategy, the executing agency through external evaluators will present a midterm evaluation report to the financing agencies when 50% of the funds have been disbursed and the final evaluation 90 days after 95% of the grant finances have been disbursed. In the report, the executing agency will include the topic in the awareness programs promoted during the campaign, the effectiveness of the campaign, the financial costs incurred and the progress in meeting project goals and objectives. In addition, the report will also include the targets, outputs and the outcomes of the project with regard to project indicators. For transparency and accountability purposes, an external firm engaged by the executing agency, with permission from the awareness committees and the financing agencies will conduct the evaluation process. Works cited Griese, Noel L. Conquering Cancer: Progress in 2003. Atlanta, GA: Anvil Publishers, 2004. Print. McCormick, Sabrina. No Family History: The Environmental Links to Breast Cancer. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009. Print. Russo, Jose, and Irma H. Russo. Molecular Basis of Breast Cancer: Prevention and Treatment. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2004. Internet resource. Tot, Tibor. Breast Cancer: A Lobar Disease. London: Springer, 2011. Internet resource Read More