The launch has been made possible primarily thanks to a Rand 3 million (US$473,642) investment by several local IT companies, including Atio; HP SA and StorTech.

Atio donated call center software, services and office furniture; HP SA provided computer and audio-visual equipment; and StorTech offered to house the call center at its Johannesburg offices.

The CANSA Shavathon is a nationwide campaign aimed at raising awareness around the disease that affects one in four South Africans.

Capitalizing on broad scale print, online and broadcast media, it encourages people to donate Rand 50 to CANSA in return for a color-spray or hair shave to a number 1 shave.

By shaving or spraying their hair, South Africans can show their support for CANSA patients across the country.

"As you can imagine, we are inundated with calls, enquiries and requests in the run up to (and during) the Shavathon," explains Michelle Fagan, CANSA Shavathon joint-organizer.

"By deploying some of the latest call center technology, we can manage our interaction with the public even more effectively than last year. It provides us with a platform to drive, manage and grow other fund-raising campaigns that we are planning for the next three years."