Completion of Successful Breast and Cervical Program
In early 2025, we announced the successful completion of our breast and cervical cancers program in Cali, Colombia! This work began as an NGO initiative to improve medical care in Cali. Today we are proud that it has evolved into a celebrated model that has been fully institutionalized in the local government infrastructure to sustain the care facilities, staffing, equipment, and expertise necessary to deliver high-quality care.
You can find the full announcement here:
PFCCAP’s inception program focuses on mitigating the obstacles women face in their breast and cervical cancer journeys by bridging the gap in cancer screening and treatment in Cali, Colombia.
PFCCAP works alongside our sister organization, Fundación Colombiana Para La Prevención y Tratamiento del Cáncer (FCPTC), in Cali, Colombia in the year-round programming highlighted below.
On-the-ground work is led by FCPTC Executive Director, Andrés Pérez, and Patient Navigation Coordinator, Patricia Córdoba.
Left to right: FCPTC Executive Director: Andrés Pérez, PFCCAP Program Director: Tyler Horton, FCPTC Patient Navigation Coordinator: Patricia Córdoba
Breast Cancer Programs
High-quality, self-sustainable breast health clinic close to the community
Mental Health Resources and Support Groups
Ámate Mobile App
Continued bra, wig, and breast prosthesis donation program for patients
Patient Navigation Program
Partnership with local hospital for screening and diagnosic services
Medical Community Programs
Quarterly Continued Medical Education Teleconferences
Nurse and Physician Clinical Breast Examination Training
Quality Control Studies in Breast Cancer Detection
Community Programs
Collaboration with industries for the education and early detection of breast cancer for their employees
Education-based HPV Vaccination Program in local secondary school
Our History in Colombia
With the support we have received from partners such as The Conquer Cancer Foundation, the American Cancer Foundation, Susan G Komen, and our gracious donors, we have accomplished many impactful and life-changing achievements over the past 10 years in Colombia including a(n):
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High-quality, self-sustainable health clinic close to the community
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An effective patient navigation program
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Patient mental health resources including individual support, info-sessions, and support groups
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A breast prosthesis, bra, and wig donation program for patients
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Education-based HPV vaccination program in the local all-girls secondary school
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Functional mobile APP (AMATE: Cuida tu Salud - Love Yourself: Take care of your health)
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Manual of procedures for how to create a self-sustainable and easily accessible breast center
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Regular teleconferences for the continued education of medical professionals
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Collaboration with universities, private companies, and others for the education and early diagnosis of their employees
2020 - 2022 By the Numbers
Donations
311 Bras
240 Breast Prosthesis
115 Wigs
Screening Services
8,888 Mammograms
4,677 Ultrasounds
347 Biopsies
Patient Navigation
310 Cancer Patients Navigated
164 Patients in Support Network
33 Support Group Activities
PFCCAP Through the Years
2006
PFCCAP began in Cali, Colombia as United Hands of Health with a focus in surgical medical missions. 35,000 free medical visits and 3,000 free medical procedures provided by 2011.
2012
We became PFCCAP and implemented a high-quality, self-sustainable health clinic focused on the early detection of breast and cervical cancer that can provide mammograms and biopsies on-site.
2015
We launched the "AMATE: Cuida tu Salud" app to help women take a hands-on approach to their own preventative care.
2018
We launched an HPV education and vaccination program in partnership with a local all-girls secondary school.
2021
Stages of breast cancers detected changed from 70% being advanced stages when we began to 90% early stage cancers by 2021.
2023
We began development of our Abdominal Cancers Alliance, a patient-led central hub for education and connections to resources for abdominal cancers.
Dr. Sardi's visit to our team in the Breast Clinic May 2023. Cali, Colombia.
Published Journal Articles
Overcoming Barriers in the Implementation of Programs for Breast and Cervical Cancers in Cali, Colombia: A Pilot Model
This article discusses PFCCAP's pilot program in Cali, Colombia that aimed to overcome barriers to the implementation of breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment programs. The program involved collaboration between healthcare providers and community-based organizations, as well as the use of innovative strategies such as mobile mammography and telemedicine. The pilot program was successful in increasing screening rates and providing timely treatment to those in need, and it offers a model that could be replicated in other regions facing similar challenges. The authors highlight the importance of addressing barriers such as cultural beliefs, limited access to healthcare, and lack of awareness, and they stress the need for continued efforts to improve cancer care in underserved communities.
Mobile Applications: Breaking Barriers to Early Breast and Cervical Cancer Detection in Underserved Communities
Question Asked: Is a free mobile application (mApp) able to gather information on user misconceptions about cancer screening, identify those at risk for breast cancer (BC) and cervical cancer (CC), and engage them to participate in screening programs in Colombia?
Summary Answer: We found that a free mApp is a promising and accessible tool that can reach hundreds of women located in specific areas, deliver customized and understandable information about BC and CC care, gather data to identify cancer misconceptions and stratify user cancer risk based on national clinical practice guidelines, and help to coordinate healthcare services when associated with a patient navigation program.
Our Partners Over the Years
Awareness
Connection
Navigation
We are the patient- and caregiver-focused central hub for education and connections to resources about peritoneal surface malignancies, including advanced gastrointestinal and gynecologic cancers, and the lifesaving Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) treatment option.
OUR IMPACT
Together, we are making a difference for so many facing rare and advanced abdominal cancers. We are committed to ensuring that no one faces an abdominal cancer diagnosis alone or uninformed. Read more about how we are making progress to scale our activities and sustain our momentum as we grow forward.
We are here for you
we are here for one another
Created for patients, caregivers, and care providers – created by patients, caregivers, and care providers. We understand their experience, because we live it.
We are patients
and caregivers
We leverage the power of the people throughout the patient journey to build robust support for patients and caregivers.
We are partners
We promote the work of other organizations making an impact and celebrate our partners' strengths.
We are care providers
We strive for patients to reach care earlier and to be more informed, and to ensure that our resources represent the most accurate and latest information available.
We are one
We are working to leverage this community’s collective voice to increase the length of life and quality of life for patients and caregivers.
The Abdominal Cancers Alliance is an initiative of Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention (PFCCAP).
PFCCAP's goal is simple: We work to save lives and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through early diagnosis and timely referral to appropriate treatment. This was the genesis of our successful program focused on mitigating the obstacles women face in their breast and cervical cancer journeys in Colombia, and it holds firm in our commitment to serve patients and caregivers facing rare and advanced abdominal cancers. The organization built on its long trajectory of international successes to launch the Abdominal Cancers Alliance.
We envision a future where every abdominal cancer patient receives appropriate and timely care throughout their cancer journey.
Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2011, Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention is an independent charitable entity.