In a significant effort to combat breast cancer, the Breast Society of Ghana (BSoG) has held a durbar aimed at educating the public about the importance of early detection and treatment.
This initiative coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, celebrated worldwide on October 25 each year which seeks to address the rising incidence of breast cancer in the country.
According to the World Health Organisation, in 2022, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 670,000 deaths globally. In Ghana, the estimate is about 5,000 cases with 2,500 deaths annually.
The programme, which was organised in collaboration with Margins ID Group, brought together participants from Second-Cycle Institutions, State Institutions and Corporate Ghana.
Themed,“Breast Cancer, Stop the Stigma and be Supportive”, the event emphasised the necessity of regular screening, particularly for women aged 40 and above.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cape Coast, Martin Tangnaa Morna, speaking on “Understanding Breast Cancer”, called on stakeholders in the health sector to increase breast cancer awareness programmes to help reduce mortality rates among patients.
Prof. Martin Tangnaa Morna
“Through the provision of education about the characteristics of breast cancer, we believe that more people can become informed about this disease, leading to improved treatment outcomes due to early detection and better treatment methods,” he added.
He added that advocacy was crucial to create deeper knowledge and empowerment for women with breast cancer.
He announced the Empowerment Study, which aims to establish healthcare support systems and engage communities through education and mentorship to optimise breast cancer management in Ghana.
As evidence that breast cancer is not a death sentence, as it is ignorantly assumed, a breast cancer survivor, Mrs Gina Kumah-Dzagah, shared her story.
At age 31, she said she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Throwing more light on her treatment, she indicated that she underwent intensive breast cancer treatment, which involved multiple cycles of chemotherapy and surgery to remove the affected breast.
She mentioned that throughout her difficult moments, her family members, friends and colleagues from school were very supportive. However, other survivors were faced with societal prejudice despite increasing awareness.
Breast Cancer Survivor, Georgina Kumah-Dzagah (M) flanked by Provost of CANS-UCC, Prof. Rofela Combey (L) and Prof. Georgina Yaa Oduro, Head, Department of Sociology and Anthropology-UCC (R)
According to her, "Stigma can be just as dangerous as the disease itself", and cautioned the general public against it.
A former Vice-President of BSoG, Prof. Kwasi Anyanful, took participants through the Empowerment Project, which focuses on widespread awareness creation on breast cancer.
The Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Cape Coast, Prof. Georgina Yaa Oduro, launched a book on ‘Breast Cancer: Diagnosis, Treatment, Facts and Myths’ which was produced by BSoG.
The Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. Rofela Combey, who chaired the event, advised married couples not to desert their spouses if they developed breast cancer but rather to support them to get treatment.
She also added the need to offer support to patients and refrain from stigmatisation.
As part of the programme, there was a health screening programme for participants on mammograms and other tests.
A section of participants in the breast cancer awareness durbar
Counselling sessions by healthcare professionals were also organised for the participants, as well as an awareness float.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
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