‘Examine breasts regularly for abnormalities’

Kwame Larweh Apr - 21 - 2014 , 08:53

A senior nursing officer at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, Mrs Sara Nana Yeboah, has advised women to examine their breasts regularly for abnormalities, stressing that lumps in their breasts and persistent boils in their armpits should be taken to hospital for medical care.

She said conditions such as a painless lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that persisted through the menstrual cycle; mass or lump which may feel as small as a pea and could change the size and contour of the breast; blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from the nipple; change in the feel or appearance of the skin of the breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed) and redness of the skin of the breast or nipple could often be signs of breast cancer.

Mrs Yeboah gave the advice when she delivered a talk at a medical screening and child-deworming exercise organised by the Possibility Temple of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dansoman for residents in the Sahara-Tunga community on Saturday.

The event, held as part of the seventh anniversary of the church, took place at the Dansoman Children’s Park with funfair to mark the Easter festivities. The exercise benefitted over 1,000 residents in the local community who were feted as well.

Mrs Yeboah said breast cancer could be detected through mammogram (X-ray of the breast), and advised women to do regular self-examination of their breasts and report any abnormality to health authorities.

Participants were also given a health talk on diabetes and malaria prevention and were checked for their blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

The Head Pastor of the Possibility Temple, Reverend Jonathan Quabla-Afrique Ahali, reminded the people of the need to take issues relating to their health seriously and always seek immediate medical attention.

Prior to the health screening, the church led inhabitants of Dansoman Sahara and the Tunga community to undertake a 10-kilometre health walk. The walk took them through Dansoman Sahara, Tunga and its environs.