Bridging Care Gaps
The NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre outreach was a demonstration of what happens when compassion connects with coordination. Collaborating with one of Nigeria’s top cancer care facilities, Broad Shoulders Tribe came together to provide not only medical assistance but also emotional presence to patients going through some of the most difficult events of their lives.
Humanizing healthcare was the main goal of the outreach; it entailed listening attentively, providing affirmations, gifting considerate care packages, and spending meaningful time with patients and families. Being present, deliberately and softly, not huge gestures, was what counted.
Initiative:
NSIA–LUTH Cancer Centre Outreach
Date:
July 15, 2022
Categories:
Health Outreach, Community Support
Tags:
Cancer, Community Care, Humanitarian
Why Your Presence Matters
This outreach brought everyone involved back to the need of attendance. Through action, the Tribe provided dignity; volunteers lent their time, hearts, and listening ears. Many patients and carers remarked on how unique and therapeutic it was to be regarded as a whole rather than as a disease.
The Tribe brought healing beyond medicine by entering hospital rooms with compassion. For healthcare professionals as well, it was a moment of reconnection—an invitation to pause and reflect on their original motivations for caring.
For many in the room, this was the first time in a long time someone asked, “How are you truly doing?” without rushing beyond the response. Particularly for patients without family nearby, the effects persisted long after the team departed. Deep appreciation was also shown by nurses and staff who said their roles felt more emotionally supported.
The outreach started a fresh awareness: that healthcare systems thrive on community energy, not only clinical knowledge. The Broad Shoulders Tribe covered a void. Hospitals alone could not bridge.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word… all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
– Leo Buscaglia
Your Support Matters Now
Some patients still stay in hospital wards for weeks without seeing a single visitor. Many people are fighting isolation and disease. Showing up, giving, or volunteering for upcoming campaigns helps to flip that around. Join us in bringing light where hope feels distant.
