BCI enlightens girl-child on breast cancer
The President of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, has initiated a vigorous campaign to empower the girl-child with knowledge about breast cancer as a means of demystifying the canker to help reduce associated deaths.
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She explained that when the girl-child was provided with adequate information and the need to go for early test and prompt treatment, she would be an ambassador of the messages and also grow up to practise same.
Dr Wiafe-Addai said these when she addressed the media at the launch of the annual “BCI Ghana Walk for the Cure” on the premises of the Peace and Love Hospital, which cares for breasts and related issues, at Oduom in Kumasi at the weekend.
Annual walk
The walk for the cure is on the theme: “Don’t be afraid, get checked – Early detection and prompt action is the key.”
The walk, which comes off on October 1, 2016 in Kumasi, will be joined by President John Dramani Mahama, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2016 flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as well as national and international personalities, to raise awareness of breast cancer and early detection.
Breast Care International (BCI) is a Kumasi based non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the vision to educate and provide an enabling environment to control the incidence of breast cancer in women.
Misconception
Dr Wiafe-Addai, a breast care specialist, noted that her organisation decided to embark on the education of the young people because it had been realised that a lot of people still believed that breast cancer was caused by witchcraft and that it could also not be cured.
She said she was worried that breast cancer (which kills a woman every 69 seconds in the world, with Africa bearing the brunt) was receiving very little attention and stressed that the disease was on the ascendency and most people only sought appropriate medical attention when it had reached an advanced stage and had affected other organs and parts of the body.
Dr Wiafe-Addai explained that the fight against breast cancer should not be left in the hands of women only, but should also attract the attention and commitment of all, since those who sought early testing and prompt treatment had survived and were undertaking their normal activities while contributing to national growth.
Survivors’ association
She introduced a lady who recently underwent an operation to remove a tumour in her breast. She has now been healed and is currently a member of the association of breast cancer survivors.
Dr Wiafe-Addai discarded the misconception that cancer was a disease for the rich and the notion that those from deprived communities and families could not survive the diseases, and urged people to seek early testing and treatment.
She said she was optimistic that this year’s awareness walk would attract over 40,000 participants.