CRC Health Equity Grants: SAID NGO

SAID NGO is a non-governmental organization based in Beirut, Lebanon. Founded by Hana Nimer, whose passionate dedication to CRC screening stems from the preventable loss of her husband to the disease, SAID NGO is the only organization in Lebanon specifically dedicated to raising awareness and offering free screening for colorectal cancer. The group organizes an annual Walkathon for Colorectal Cancer Awareness month and holds regular walking groups to encourage people to lower their colorectal cancer and general health risks through physical activity.  

The organization strives to increase public knowledge of colorectal cancer and its prevention, and advocates for a national screening program to systematically fight colorectal cancer. By offering free FIT screening and indicated colonoscopies for patients who have a positive test, SAID NGO works to remove barriers to screening and diagnosis. In the context of an economic crisis in Lebanon, SAID NGO aims to address health disparities experienced by people disadvantaged by geographic location and social and economic status.  

GCCA is proud to support SAID NGO’s CRC screening efforts with CRC Health Equity Grants. SAID NGO has financed 32 diagnostic colonoscopies for patients who had a positive FIT screening to address problems in access to colonoscopy. Among these patients, three were found to have precancerous polyps. Colorectal cancer was prevented in these patients by removing the polyps. A fourth patient was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and is now in treatment.

“We are proud to partner with GCCA to reduce the barriers,” said Nimer, Founder and Managing Director of SAID NGO. “Everyone should have the same opportunity to prevent or survive CRC.”

Find SAID NGO @saidngo on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X (Formerly Twitter) and on their website saidcrc.org.  

Learn more about the CRC Health Equity Grants program and the great work of the 2023 recipients. Many thanks to the sponsors of the 2023 CRC Health Equity Grants, Bristol Myers Squibb, Seagen, Takeda Oncology, and Bayer. To become a sponsor of this program, please contact us.