Death, contagion and shame: The potential of cancer survivors' advocacy in Zambia

Britta Wigginton, Kim Farmer, Sharon Kapambwe, Lisa Fitzgerald, Marina M. Reeves, Sheleigh P. Lawler

Cancer has become a global health concern with marked differences in the incidence and mortality rates between developing and developed countries. Understanding the factors hat shape uptake of preventative and screening services is key. We use in-depth interviews with 13 Zambian urban-based female cancer survivors to explore the facilitators and barriers to screening, diagnosis and treatment, with a particular focus on cultural influences. We identified a central discourse (i.e. a story told about cancer) in all of the interviews: 'cancer is a death sentence'. Most women referenced this discourse to describe their own, their family members', or community members' reactions to their diagnosis, along with references to cancer as 'contagious' and 'a shameful illness'. We also identified a theme entitled 'survivors as advocates', within which women described engaging in advocacy work to challenge stigma, misconceptions and misinformation about cancer; and advocating early detection and diagnosis, compliance with medical treatment and the sharing of success stories. This analysis points to the need for survivors to be front and centre of preventative efforts. Their personal experiences, legitimacy and connections in the community, and their enthusiasm in helping others should be fostered, particularly in low-resource settings.