Australian charity’s ambitious agenda to save lives in Nepal

By Rama Gaind.

“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful then a thousand heads bowing in prayer.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel with the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF) and visit the remote Tamang region in October for the Nepal Challenge 2019.

When statistics show that every two minutes, somewhere in the world, a woman dies of cervical cancer, you could well be galvanised into lending a helping hand.

One non-for-profit organisation doing just that is the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF). It has an ambitious vision: to eliminate cervical cancer in Australia and in developing countries.

A similar vision is shared by the 2006 Australian of the Year, Professor Ian Frazer, who says, “cervical cancer should be almost entirely preventable”.

The prominent immunologist co-invented and patented the basic technology behind the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer.

ACCF is working hard to achieve success by raising awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention, enabling vaccination, screening and treatment for women in developing countries providing support to women and their families living with cervical cancer.

Everyone can lend a hand to raise funds for this mission by participating in the Heart of Nepal Challenge departing in October 2019.

Delia Beattie, Jenny Brown and Melissa Roussin were among many people who helped to raise vital funds for the ACCF. This picture was taken as they went through a high pass up above Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan in 2015. More than $28,000 was raised on the 2015 Bhutan Adventure Challenge. All up since 2011, over $180,000 has been raised in adventure challenges.

According to ACCF’s CEO Joe Tooma, “our Nepal Challenge is designed to give you first-hand experience of foundation’s overseas Nepal programs”.

“Cervical cancer is the biggest cancer killer of women in Nepal and our experience is that the rate of cervical cancer in Nepal could be up to 30 times the rate of cervical cancer in Australia,” Mr Tooma said.

“In Nepal, since beginning our work in 2008, ACCF has been able to facilitate the supply of the cervical cancer vaccine for over 31,000 girls and screened over 50,000 women for cervical cancer,” he said. “This trip will enable the screening of a whole remote community of women who have never had the opportunity for a women’s health check. Screening a woman just once reduces her risk of developing cervical cancer by 40%.”

Fund-raising opportunity

We live in a world that is full of beauty, charm and exciting quests. Travel is more than the seeing sights because we can get an opportunity to make a difference that will change someone else’s life. So while you will have the best holiday ever, your efforts will contribute to the wellbeing of Nepali women, many of whom have never had the opportunity to have a women’s health check. Join ACCF and you’ll get to see the inspiring work being done in Nepal.

You’ll get to see first-hand how your fundraising is helping to save lives if you join the Heart of Nepal Adventure Challenge 2019. You’ll get to see the inspiring work being done in Nepal. During the trip you will visit a hospital, the Nepal-ACCF clinic in Banepa and help to set up NACCF’s first-ever screening clinic in the remote Tamang region.

The 15-day adventure costs $4,550.00. There is a 10-day version of the trip for those who don’t want to do the trekking. Your contribution can make a meaningful and enduring change to someone else’s life. ACCF needs your help to save lives, to protect girls and women from cervical cancer in Nepal.

As ACCF’s Marketing and Communications Manager Leisa Ashton states:

“having met many people who have taken part in an ACCF adventure travel trip, and having been on one myself, I have been amazed at how much the trip has changed the lives of not only those we are fundraising to help, but also the participants themselves”.

On the other hand Operations Manager Julie Weston said she had had “the honour of leading a number of ACCF trips to destinations like Nepal and Bhutan as well as to central Australia”.

“To watch a group of people come together and realise their dreams of travelling to these incredible destinations is a privilege,” Julie said. “The people they get to meet as well as the incredible sights they get to experience for themselves, was life-changing for everyone involved, including me! To see where their fundraising goes, is something that very few people get to experience.”

ACCF is determined to help eliminate cervical cancer in Australia and in the neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Kiribati, Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Vietnam through the facilitation of vaccination programs for girls, as well as, screening and treatment programs for women.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel with ACCF to Nepal and visit the remote Tamang region, for the Nepal Challenge 2019! During the trip, you will visit a hospital, the Nepal-ACCF clinic in Banepa and help to set up NACCF’s first-ever screening clinic in the remote Tamang region.

Highlights of the challenge

Be part of ACCF’s Heart of Nepal Challenge
Visit the Nepal-ACCF clinic at Banepa
Help set up the first-ever Tamang Screening Camp
Visit Kathmandu’s extraordinary heritage sites
Explore Bhaktapur, an ancient city just outside of Kathmandu
Trek the Tamang district, steeped in Tibetan tradition
Enjoy panoramic views of Himalayan peaks
Fully-supported camping trek with three hearty meals a day on trek prepared by cooks

Nowadays, travel is more than just seeing the sights. As you dig deeper, you’ll realise the depth of the meaningful revelations that abound in the enduring ideas of life.

The enormity of this quote from the Diary of Anne Frank is inspirational: “no one has ever become poor by giving”.

FAST FACTS

Heart of Nepal Adventure Challenge 2019

Dates: 14-28 October 2019

Registration fee: $200 (non-refundable)

Fundraising target: $2000 (excludes travel)

Travel cost: 15 days Adventure $4,550.00 including taxes (can be fundraised)
Note: Flights are included

Trip duration: 15 days (includes travel)

Challenge duration: 7 days – Tamang Heritage Trail

Challenge grade: 4/10 – moderate

Accommodation: Hotel accommodation and comfortable camping

Minimum age: 18