Public Relations (PR), Events and Change Management consultancy, Mahogany Consult has held a one-day breast screening exercise for vendors, businesses and some staff of the University of Ghana community at the Night Market on campus. 

Dubbed October 4 Her, the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme was held in commemoration of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month marked globally, every year, in October.

The event, which provides Breast Cancer education to participants as well as physical breasts examination, is the third to be organized by Mahogany Consult.

Speaking on the initiative, Senior PR Consultant at Mahogany Consult, Baaba Cofie said, “As an organisation, we consistently seek to add value to our publics; their businesses and their people.

The goal of October 4 Her is, therefore, to promote health consciousness in our community by creating awareness about Breast Cancer, supporting early screening and encouraging participants to be ambassadors, ultimately to save lives”.

“This year, as a result of the COVID – 19 pandemic, we moved the programme from our immediate community, the Ghana Hostels Limited, to the Night Market, one of the major commercial spaces on campus.

"This is our first time serving vendors, businesses and staff in and around the night market and we are excited about the turn out and the impact”. Mrs. Cofie said.

Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Francis Bilson, Medical Director at Spring Health Care who led a team of medical professionals to conduct the exercise, said, “Spring Health Care is happy to be associated with this initiative by Mahogany Consult.

"We have common interests with Mahogany Consult where we are both deeply passionate about women's health and wellbeing as well as community service. We hope that this initiative will grow so many more lives may be reached with the information and care they need to save their lives.”

The two-part programme began with a health talk by Midwife at Spring Health Care, Madam Deborah Boateng. She urged women to make breast examination a priority every month.

She added that men also need to be self-aware in this regard as 1% of breast cancer cases detected in Ghana are diagnosed in men.

“Men should also examine their own breasts and partners should examine each other’s breast so that if there is any problem it can be detected and treated early. We need to be each other’s keeper to fight Breast Cancer,” she said.

The session was then followed by the free breast screening exercise held at the International Students Hostel (ISH) 2 building, near the Night Market on the University of Ghana campus.

Mrs. Esther Oware, Leader of the union of Night Market vendors was elated about the intervention.

“On behalf of my colleague vendors, I would like to say we are grateful to Mahogany Consult and Spring Health Care for organising this life-saving event. We appreciate the thoughtfulness and look forward to working with organisers again on such an initiative.”

She also advised that, it was paramount for all participants, especially the young, to take good care of their health and take advantage of such exercises.

The event received support from PZ Cussons, the International Students Hostel of the University of Ghana and the Physical Development and Municipal Services Directorate (PDMSD) of the University of Ghana.