History

Our History

In 2007, Juan Almendárez Peralta MD. and Orlando Martínez Granera BScN. showed great concern because of high women mortality due to cervical cancer in the Sanitary Region of Río San Juan, at that time, an area postponed from public investment and high poverty rates.

Although health system possessed the screening technologies and average capacity to benefit women in these areas, the incidence and mortality were showing a tendency to increase. Cervical cancer stops family’s economic prosperity and communities, forcing families to contract debts and fall into greater poverty to care for a sick woman for this cause. For Almendárez MD. and Martínez BScN. all these cases and these deaths were unjustifiable and could not be assumed as normal.

They decided, then, to work with the health system to change this reality. The characteristics associated with cervical cancer mortality, prevailed women in the fullness of their productive life, mothers of 2 to 4 children, low social stratum, breadwinners and children who depended on their care for stay in school or avoid exposure to physical or sexual abuse of other adults.

Then, they made a causal reasons or limitations diagnosis of the public health system to strengthen their institutional capacity to respond quickly to health care women needs. On the diagnosis, they concluded that one of the biggest difficulties was physicians and nurses involved in cancer prevention had little ability to plan, organize, train and monitor strategies in order to assess whether efforts made at local or regional level were sufficient or deficient. That is, if they responded to the needs of detection and women care affected with cervical cancer precursor lesions or at developing risk, being the goal of a screening strategy for this type of cancer.

In 2007, Almendárez MD. and Martínez BScN. did not have large funds, however, were given to the task of developing an ambitious project incorporates two strategies that would be innovative:

First, to develop a digital model organization of Cancer Care Prevention Services in women, which also allows to collect quality information to ensure identification, monitoring and follow-up of all affected women and identified in a timely manner.

Secondly, a training program was designed so doctors and nurses could be better prepared to manage a cancer control program in women, where this technology (SIVIPCAN®) was the tool to facilitate their daily work.

The result was that professionals could be able to monitor and evaluate their own programs, interpret the results and ensure every identified woman filtered in the system, received her complete treatment until reaching the elimination of Pre-cancer, condition needed to reduce incidence and mortality.

This new context made it possible to make changes in the organization and planning actions at regional and local level. But in addition, women benefited from new changes, as the system began to work in their favor because bureaucratic processes were eliminated and articulated work was encouraged to ensure timely treatment. This model helped save hundreds of lives!

This initiative was not unnoticed by the American Cancer Society and awarded the Project the Award “Latin Excellence 2008”, also granted a small fund to improve software and move from MS-DOS to Windows format. In a short time, health Minister requested implementation in other health regions to improve capacities of these geographical areas. The selected regions were: Caribbean zone of North and South Atlantic, and Jinotega; These were defined in relation to the resources limitation, access and population dispersal. “We also assume this challenge!”

With the support of AECID, we were able to move in small planes, speedboats, and all-terrain vehicles, as needed, to comply with an intervention plan, technology transfer and close technical assistance in these regions.

Meanwhile, in 2009, it was clear that the country needed quickly the implementation of this work model with the Software; Which forced Almendárez MD. and Martínez Granera BScN. to create an institution, unprecedented in the country to offer legal support to implement this technology in all health establishments nationwide; But also, they could support us in preventing cancer in general and reduce the suffering that this cause.

The working model of this new institution would be the collaborative partnership with public and private institutions interested inside and outside the national territory.

Being indifference is the fuel that feeds the emergence of cancer, and its approach requires participation of all (citizens and community organized in social expressions), the motto of the foundation to be created would be: “Because the worst disease is the indifference”.

This institution received legal status by the Congress of the Republic in 2010, with the name: Anti-Cancer Movement Foundation, also known as Movicancer (www.movicancer.org). This movement was joined by Francisco Maldonado, MD. Oscar Fonseca, MD. Ofelia Rojas, MD. and José María Rodríguez, Eng.

All of them have contributed and continue providing a way to improve foundation’s objectives and interventions in order to reach those who need us most with projects that go beyond traditional philanthropy. These projects, programs and horizontal initiatives improve population opportunities to cope with the risk of developing cancer, and to health professionals, it helps them to be better prepared to respond to the needs of patients.

Innovation, efficiency and effectiveness have been the transversal axes of all our actions on the ground. Prevent cancer and mitigate suffering that this cause can only be possible with the will of society as a whole. Since its inception, Movicancer decided to recognize and reward those who are committed to a cancer-free society.

Over the past few years, more than 13 people, institutions and private companies have received the national recognitions “Hope for Life” promoted by the foundation. These awards are given at a gala dinner that is carefully prepared to honor those people and institutions, which, beyond their duty, contribute to a nation with less cancer.

In order to increase positive impact of Nicaraguan health system efforts, Movicancer has dedicated resources such as: medical equipment, time and talent to develop a national training program in various topics and techniques, benefiting physicians, nurses and all health personnel involved in cancer prevention actions.

The courses and workshops have been developed thanks to the international institutions support, such as: Embassy of Netherlands, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), PAHO, twinning of Nuremberg, Andalusian agency for International Cooperation (AACID), Medical Assistance for Central America (AMCA), Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation (AECID), American Cancer Society (ACS), PATH, among others, those who have believed in our work and since 2011 have allowed us to develop various development and training projects in Río San Juan, south and north Caribbean coast, Jinotega, Boaco, Carazo, Managua, León, Chinandega, Chontales, Masaya, Granada, Rivas, Matagalpa, Estelí, Nueva Segovia and Madriz.

In addition, since 2014 we have supported the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health in introduction and implementation of new technologies, such as HPV testing, in order to eliminate barriers that women have to access cervical cancer prevention services and breast cancer early detection in Chontales, Chinandega, Carazo and Jinotega.

Recently, we have innovated in the care model implementation that integrates two health services in a single consultation on cervical and breast cancer issue. These efforts have not gone unnoticed by national and international institutions, who have recognized the importance and usefulness of this innovative model that has enabled Nicaragua to reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer.

But we do not forget those who are also the cause of our work: we refer to women, children and the elderly as the focus of our interventions. Thanks to our initiative to access oncological treatment, many women and children, mainly, have been able to initiate, continue or successfully finish their treatment and have won the fight against cancer. Unfortunately, some have not been able to win the battle, but without these funds, their fight against cancer would have been tougher and harder to cope with.

In Movicancer, we are very proud to be the leading national organization working on cancer control with initiatives that have saved thousands of women lives and hundreds of children. In addition, with projects development and initiatives we bring solace to thousands of Nicaraguans.

The Board Members are committed to working for a region with less cancer, supporting timely diagnosis and treatment, as well as strengthening public and private institutions within the RINC-UNASUR Regional Plan for Cancer Control, and support to the PAHO/WHO 2018-2030 new Regional Plan for Cervical Cancer Control.

Beyond our borders, we continue to carry out advocacy in various international spaces and forums in order to increase inter-institutional collaboration, in order to strengthen an integrated regional response to NCDs and cancer within the framework of the sustainable agenda development 2030 (ODS-ONU) and on human agendas development and public policy. We have made available to public and private institutions our experience and expertise in order to offer an accelerated, sustainable and in the shortest time possible response to cancer control in women, with emphasis in the Central American region.

Our History

Part of our work