The Big Journey

The Big Journey campaign

Press Release 2019

How the Big Journey works

The Big Journey is our annual trip to towns and villages in Botswana, where we take breast examinations to the community. Most Journeys cover at least 1000 km, if not more, and last for a week.

Before arrival at a town or village the team pre-arranges visits to medical facilities (through liaison with the respective District Health Management Teams). A visit to the Kgotla is also arranged where necessary. With practice and experience JOHB is able to maximise opportunities to meet people, form lasting relationships and partnerships, and disseminate information and teaching tools in order to draw attention to the cause.

We always have a medical doctor on our team who is able to take samples via fine needle aspirations for further analysis once back in Gaborone.

Our nurse volunteers perform the breast examinations and refer any suspected issues to the doctor. Patient files are created by the nurses and doctor, which stay open and active until a final diagnosis is made.

Our riders and crew perform many other duties, from handing out T shirts and informational leaflets to conducting the talks and exercising general crowd control. Others keep the scooters fuelled and running and take care of the Journey team. An ambulance always accompanies the Journey in case of any emergency.

The Big Journey in pictures

komatsu sponsors our ultrasound machine (2017)

We are very excited to announce that Komatsu have sponsored us in full for the purchase of our very own Ultrasound machine.

This is going to make our Big Journey even more successful as we will be able to rule out Breast cysts and Fibroadenomas in the villages we visit and it will cut down on us having to transport and accommodate many ladies from far afield as well as paying for their tests.

The money saved will also free up funds to go towards mammograms, which we still need to outsource.

Thank you so much to KOMATSU who have been our principal sponsor since 2013. Without KOMATSU we would not be the successful organization we have grown to be.

Thank you for changing lives!

about komatsu

The self examination technique

Our teaching follows the Touch, Look, Check/Tshwara.Leba.Tlhatlhoba method. We use a low tech approach with our materials, suitable for any environment.

These include a flip chart for workshop sessions, paper based flyers in English and Setswana and our very popular t-shirt give-away. We also give away colouring books for children, allowing us to share our message to all ages.

get involved: vOLUNTEER

As an organisation that relies on volunteers, we have been fortunate to benefit from consistent and reliable participation. We believe that this is an enormous achievement, as many volunteers have remained integral to our activities since our inception in 2009.

become a sponsor

Our sponsorship options fall into 4 categories: Major Sponsor, Logistics Sponsor, Rider Sponsor and Bike Sponsor. Contact us to discuss your interest in one or a combination of sponsorship.

On the morning of Tuesday 30 July, our beloved co-founder Bev Denbury passed away at home, in Gaborone.

Over the 10 years of Journey of Hope Botswana, Bev had been an inspiration and beacon of hope. This is because in 2008 she discovered that she too had breast cancer. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she chose to give others hope and awareness, whilst doing her best to get treatment.

Many people expressed shock when they heard of her passing, as she lived a full life, filled with purpose - which often left many thinking she had beaten the disease.

We ride in her honour, because she she was, and will always be our Warrior.

Thank you Mark Leonard for this lovely video, depicting a typical day on the Big Journey; talks and exams, travel and entertaining the children.