ABOUT US

WHO WE ARE

FCCT was founded in 2013 to help address the overwhelming need for cancer care in Tanzania. Among its founding visionaries were doctors who have worked in northern Tanzania for decades and seen firsthand the plight facing individuals with cancer in this region of the world.

The Foundation for Cancer Care in Tanzania (FCCT) is a Minnesota based 501 (c) (3) nonprofit. All donations are tax deductible.

FCCT Board of Directors | Executive Committee

Executive Committee Are Marked With An *

Board Of Directors	Title
Srikanta Banerjee	MD, PhD, MPH, Director \| Core Faculty, Walden University
Mary C. Cook*	PharmD, Director and Gala Chair \| Pharmacist (Retired), Purdue Pharma
Yvonne Datta	MD, Director \| Medical Oncologist, University of Minnesota
Arkadiusz Z. Dudek	MD, PhD, Director \| Medical Oncologist, Mayo Clinic
Kathryn Dusenbery*	MD, Director \| Radiation Oncologist, University of Minnesota
Siri Fiebiger	MD, MPH, Director \| Obstetric Hospitalist, Allina Health
Thomas Flynn*	MD, Director and Board Chair \| Medical Oncologist (Retired), Minnesota Oncology
Randy Hurley*	MD, Director and Secretary \| Medical Oncologist, Health Partners – Park Nicollet
John Knoedler	MD, Director \| Diagnostic Radiologist, St. Paul Radiology
Tyler Moon	MHA, Director \| HCA Healthcare
Michael Nelson*	MD, Director and Treasurer \| Emeritus Professor of Radiology, University of Minnesota
Hazel Reinhardt*	PhD, Director and President \| Hazel Reinhardt Consulting Services
Tara Rick	PhD, PA, Director \| Phsyician Assistant, Oncology/Hematology, University of Minnesota
Michael Seiden	MD, PhD, Director \| Medical Oncologist (Retired), US Oncology/McKesson Specialty Health
B. Aika Shoo	MD, Director \| Radiation Oncologist, University of Minnesota Physicians
Kera Wright	MBA, Director \| CFO ALSAC-St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Founding Board Member

John Reiling, MHA, PhD

Founding Board Member and President Emeritus

In Memoriam

Mark Jacobson, MD, MPH

Director

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

It takes courage to take on a seemingly impossible mission - bringing modern cancer care to a country without many basic necessities. FCCT is thankful and proud to be supported by our generous and courageous partners.

WITH THE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM:

Takeda Pharmaceutical’s Research & Development Division

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OTHER COLLABORATING PARTNERS:

Duke University

Duke University has a nearly 20-year collaboration with the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC). The collaboration has focused on research, medical and nursing education, and capacity building. Prior research has focused on HIV/AIDS, TB, the causes of fever in children and adults, mental health and health systems strengthening. A rapidly growing area of common research interest is in cancer, and collaboration studies have addressed cervical cancer, strengthening of the KCMC cancer registry, and the development of cancer care capacity. A training grant from the National Cancer Institute has been instrumental in supporting these activities.

Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre

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The East Africa Medical Assistance Foundation

The East Africa Medical Assistance Foundation is a Minnesota 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing radiology services at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC), a 700-bed teaching hospital at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in Moshi, Tanzania. It is the site of the Kilimanjaro School of Radiology, the first radiology residency in the country. Through donations, the foundation provides monetary support for the radiology training program, assists in providing equipment for the imaging department and manages a volunteer program for radiologists who wish to contribute by teaching at the Kilimanjaro School of Radiology. Over 100 residents have graduated from the training program and now provide service throughout Tanzania.

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (Tanzania)

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IN-KIND DONORS

Thank you for your generous support!

Russell Herder | Jennifer Forbes, J.D., Kutak Rock | Ellingson & Ellingson, CPAs | Wolters Kluwer

What We Do

The Foundation for Cancer Care in Tanzania (FCCT) addresses the overwhelming need for cancer care in Tanzania.

Why Cancer?

Cancer is a leading cause of death in Tanzania and a cancer diagnosis is often a death sentence. Prior to FCCT’s involvement, Tanzania had just two cancer care facilities to serve a population of over 50 million. (60+ million in 2020) Northern Tanzania lacked any designated cancer care facilities whatsoever for its 15+ million people.

Why Tanzania?

Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries and is experiencing a rapid increase in cancer cases. Because access to prevention and treatment is limited, the rate of death among cancer patients exceeds 80%. The situation is particularly tragic for children whose cancers would have a high rate of curability if they lived in the United States.

Accomplishments

The Foundation for Cancer Care in Tanzania (FCCT), along with its partners, is making significant progress in bringing modern cancer care to a country without many of the basic necessities. Progress has been made in all four pillars of cancer care.

Preventing Disease

Educational programs, such as PrevACamp, a community awareness and training program (health fair), have been created to teach the community about cancer awareness and prevention, and to screen for cancer. This effort also trains Community Health Workers providing prevention and screening messages.

Early Detection and Diagnosis

A huge step in diagnosis came with the opening of a Cancer Care Clinic in December 2016 when the first medical oncologist began working in the northern healthcare zone.

Treatment

Outpatient treatment has been ongoing in the Infusion Centre, which also opened in December 2016. The opening of the 44-bed in-patient cancer ward in December 2020 expands cancer-specific treatment to the hospital setting where physicians and nurses trained to care for cancer patients can better meet their needs. A Radiation Centre was completed in 2024. This building was funded by the Government of Tanzania and a USAID/ASHA award received by FCCT.