Miss Health walks with students to create Breast Cancer awareness

The dangers of breast cancer have not been fully appreciated by the majority of Ghanaians as few women make the effort to examine their breast for early detection and treatment.

According to Miss Health Ghana, Ohemaa Achiaa Agyekum, collaborating with active students, especially those on social media, will impact greatly in the dissemination of the awareness message.

She said this during Pinktober walk and breast screening in Sunyani, as part of Breast Cancer awareness creation activities this month of October.

As Miss Health Ghana encouraged woman to often check and examined themselves to be sure of happenings within their body.

She revealed she is a living testimony of breast cancer, just that “in my case, I got early treatment at the hospital after I self-examined and noticed a lump in my breast”.

She, however, noted that the message of screening of breast for early detection and treatment can really go down well if students get involved.

The month of October is recognized worldwide as Breast Cancer awareness month.

The incidence of breast cancer is rising steadily in low and middle-income countries due to an increase in life expectancy rate, urbanisation and adoption of western lifestyles.

In 2018, the International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated over 4,600 new breast cancer cases in Ghana. Out of which more than 1,800 women were expected to lose their lives.

As the situation remains a major health risk, Miss Health Ghana in collaboration with Sunyani Tertiary Students Representative Council Women Commissioners from the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre and Sunyani Technical University to embarked on a PinkOctober walk in Sunyani to increase the awareness among women to the examination their breasts.

The CEO of Miss Health Ghana, Gladys Rockson said they choose to celebrate “pinktober” with the students because it is easy to talk to them about the pathology of breast cancer. “The effort is on these young people to help create the awareness after observing that even eleven-year-olds are affected”, she said.        

Abdul Aziz Mariam, Sunyani Technical University SRC Women’s commissioner, advised her fellow students to check for lumps in their breasts and avoid long hours of wearing brassiere.                                                        

Ahead of the breast screening at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, a midwife, Patricia Haibor of Marie Stopes Ghana charged the students to see breast screening as their right.

She said it will help them deal with their health status at the early stages since breast cancer is curable when detected early.

Other activities scheduled for later this month includes a car wash exercise and car race at Accra and Tema respectively, to generate funds for breast cancer patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra.