Out of about 500 breast cancer patients who reported to the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) between 2012 and 2026, more than 366 were successfully treated.
The patients were from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
An oncology nurse specialist at the HTH chemotherapy suite, Georgina Joyce Yawa Gyamfi, disclosed this to The Mirror in Ho last Wednesday.
She said there were now brighter prospects for cancer patients because they were reporting early to the facility for early diagnosis and improved treatment.
Miss Gyamfi said that although the exact cause of cancer was not known, the risk factors included family history, previously diagnosed cases, smoking, gene mutations and cancer cases among first-degree and extended family members, aging, environmental factors, and exposure to radiation.
She explained that cancer could also affect women who had never been pregnant, those who delayed childbirth, and those who experienced early menstruation or late menopause.
Cancer can affect any part of the body, including the eye, tongue, skin, womb, penis and bones.
One of the survivors, Ethel Blagogee, 42, who spoke to The Mirror, said that after undergoing chemotherapy for about a year, she had fully regained her health.
“I am back at work at the Ho Municipal Hospital as a nurse, and I enjoy my favourite fufu and light soup with goat meat. I also listen to gospel music in my spare time,” she said.
Ethel, as she preferred to be called, urged cancer patients to seek early treatment for the best results.
Another survivor, Gloria Gifty Atsu, 57, attributed her victory over cancer to strict adherence to the treatment regimen.
“Never be fooled into thinking the cancer was caused by the devil, and never confine yourself to a prayer camp to seek spiritual treatment.”
“It is good to pray, but the cancer must be sent to the hospital without delay for effective treatment,” she said.
The married mother of nine said that after treatment, she had returned to her pastry and baking business with greater zeal and enthusiasm.
“Just place the order and it will be delivered in less than an hour,” Gloria affirmed.
A 36-year-old security officer, Chrislus Zanu, said she survived cancer after undergoing chemotherapy at the HTH between June 2024 and November 2024.
She attributed the success of the treatment largely to the commitment of the nurses at the oncology suite who saw her through the process.
“They were just like family to me, and I did exactly what they asked me to do,” Chrislus added.
She is now back at her duty post at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra.
Meanwhile, the chemotherapy suite needs a larger space to operate in, as more people now come voluntarily for screening and treatment, the oncology nurse said.
“This means the suite is well patronised, an indication of more clients in the near future,” Miss Gyamfi added.
On average, she said, the suite received between 15 and 20 clients weekly for chemotherapy.
