Purple Project

Purple Project 💜 No Shame, Just Support. We are an NPO dedicated to gynaecological cancer awareness, early detection, and community advocacy.

Our mission is to break stigmas and promote women’s health through education, offering a safe space.

01/09/2026

5 More days left! 💜

Join us at Walmer Park Mall this Saturday🤩

The countdown is on 💜Behind the scenes, our team is prepping for the Purple Project activation, together with the CANSA ...
28/08/2026

The countdown is on 💜

Behind the scenes, our team is prepping for the Purple Project activation, together with the CANSA Shavathon - happening 5 September at Walmer Park Mall, Centre Court, from 9:30 to 14:00.

Gynaecological cancer awareness, HPV prevention education, and real community support, all in one place.

Tag a friend who should come through with you 👇

📍 Walmer Park Mall | 📅 5 September 2026 | 🕤 9:30–14:00

25/08/2026

It's happening again 💜

Purple Project is hosting a community activation at Walmer Park Mall in collaboration with CANSA Shavathon, to support those affected by cancer.

📍 Walmer Park Mall, Centre Court
📅 5 September 2026
🕤 9:30 – 14:00

Come shave your head, cheer someone on, or just stopping by to show support — be part of it.

No one fights alone. 💜

Happy No One Fights Alone Friday 🖤💜Healthcare teams at Netcare Cuyler Hospital, Livingstone Hospital (Physio, OT, Speech...
21/08/2026

Happy No One Fights Alone Friday 🖤💜

Healthcare teams at Netcare Cuyler Hospital, Livingstone Hospital (Physio, OT, Speech, Dietetics, Radiology), PE Provincial Hospital, and Polokwane Hospital Oncology, along with local pharmacies and small businesses were all wearing the black "No One Fights Alone" tee.

Purple is the colour that started this movement: a symbol of dignity, hope, and inclusivity that helps break the stigma around gynaecological health.

No Shame, Just Support is a daily commitment from everyone who shows up in that shirt.

Are you or your workplace joining in soon? Share your photos in the comments - we'd love to feature your support.

A category win is a headline. The years behind it are the real story. 💜Purple Project has been named the Health & Safety...
19/08/2026

A category win is a headline. The years behind it are the real story. 💜

Purple Project has been named the Health & Safety category winner at The Herald Citizens of the Year Awards, supported by Nelson Mandela University, and The Herald has published a feature on the journey behind it.

Since 2022, that journey has included sanitary pad drives, care packages for patients, and HPV education expanded into primary and secondary schools, all working toward one goal: making gynaecological cancer something we talk about openly, the way breast cancer awareness changed the conversation a generation ago.

This recognition matters because it means the work is being seen. And it's a reminder of how much more this community can still do together - more schools, more conversations, more women reached before it's too late.

Thank you, Herald, for this honour, and for helping tell this story.

Read the full feature here:
https://www.theherald.co.za/news/2026-08-18-this-came-when-breakthrough-id-been-praying-for-was-needed-most/

14/08/2026

Join us as we celebrate the unsung heroes of Nelson Mandela Bay—the change-makers whose impactful stories often go untold and positive impact remains largely unseen. On Friday, 4 September we honour them and salute their spirit of upliftment and transformation. Limited tickets are available. Don’t miss out!

🎤 Host: Masasa Mbangeni
📍 Boardwalk International Convention Centre
⏰ 18:00 - 23:00
🎟️ Tickets: R695pp or R6255 per table of 10 (ex VAT)

To book, contact The Herald Marketing Manager, Berna Ulay-Walters on [email protected]. Tickets include 3-course meal, live entertainment, winners’ video showcasing, Vodacom prize giveaways, music & dance.

WE CELEBRATE OUR WINNERS:
Education: Gem Project | Civil society: Central SRA | GBV: Thembani Gqiba of Doxa Youth Program | Arts & culture: Nomakhomazi Dewavrin | Business: Sinazo Vabaza Tundube | Community: Wings and Wishes | Sport: Ra'ees Khan of Swim GQ | Health: Purple Project ZA | Youth: Sinovuyo Mafilika

Nelson Mandela University I My SPAR I Continental I Coega Development Corporation (Pty) Ltd I Nedbank I Boardwalk Hotel and Casino I Capsicum Culinary Studio I Kingfisher FM I Three Peaks Wine I JTC Caterers I Hugo Studio

So honoured to be the recipient in the Health category. Thank you HeraldLIVE - Nelson Mandela Bay for honouring the work...
07/08/2026

So honoured to be the recipient in the Health category. Thank you HeraldLIVE - Nelson Mandela Bay for honouring the work we do.

Behind every movement is a heart that refused to stay silent. For Dr. Melissa Pietersen, founder of Purple Project, com...
06/08/2026

Behind every movement is a heart that refused to stay silent.

For Dr. Melissa Pietersen, founder of Purple Project, compassionate care is both a clinical standard and a personal calling.

Dr. Melissa Pietersen is a doctor in the field of Radiation Oncology, with over a decade of clinical experience.

Growing up in Atlantis on South Africa’s West Coast.

After graduating with her MBChB from Stellenbosch University, her medical journey brought her to Gqeberha for her internship and Kimberley for community service, where her path in oncology took root.

Her clinical experience revealed a heartbreaking reality across all gynaecological cancers: cervical, ovarian, endometrial, vulvar, and vaginal.

Cervical cancer alone remains a leading cause of cancer death among South African women, with too many suffering in silence due to fear and late diagnosis.

Inspired by her family's own encounters with cancer, Mel founded Purple Project to normalize conversations around women's health.

Her work combines rigorous, evidence-based care with deep empathy and cultural sensitivity.

Beyond Purple Project, Mel works closely with Project Flamingo, CHOC, Reach For A Dream, the Cancer Alliance, and Nelson Mandela University to ensure compassionate care reaches every corner of our community.

"Gynaecological cancer should be a conversation, not a taboo; early detection a reality, not a privilege." - Dr. Melissa Pietersen

Join us in celebrating Dr. Pietersen’s vision for a healthier, more empowered future.

03/08/2026

As we enter the month of August, we want to reflect and honour July. Sarcoma awareness month. 🎗️

Silence should never cost a life. 💜Gynaecological cancers, which include cervical, ovarian, endometrial, vulvar, and vag...
01/08/2026

Silence should never cost a life. 💜

Gynaecological cancers, which include cervical, ovarian, endometrial, vulvar, and vaginal cancer, have been recognised as a National Health Crisis since 2017.

Among these, cervical cancer alone stands as the second most common cancer in women and a leading cause of cancer death in South Africa. Yet when detected early, cervical cancer is both preventable and curable.

That is why Purple Project was founded.

We are a community-led organisation built on a simple belief: gynaecological health should be an open conversation, not a taboo; early detection a reality, not a privilege.

Aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) targets, our work actively drives both short- and long-term elimination goals across five core pillars:

- Awareness: Demystifying gynaecological health and highlighting warning signs before symptoms are overlooked.
- Support: Providing a safe, compassionate space where every woman is treated with dignity.
- Advocacy: Championing women’s health rights in Gqeberha, the Eastern Cape, and nationwide.
- Community: Uniting patients, families, and healthcare workers across South Africa - working in solidarity with organisations like Project Flamingo, CHOC, and Reach For A Dream.
- Education: Delivering evidence-based medical knowledge directly to the public and upskilling healthcare professionals through our Project ECHO® telementoring partnership.

Whether you are searching for answers, supporting someone you love, or wanting to understand more about women's health, you belong here.

Follow our page to stay informed and join the movement.

Address

Stanford Road
Port Elizabeth
6000

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