Youth should be involved in breast cancer awareness advocacy – Dr Wiafe
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Peace and Love Hospital, Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai has said that it is important for young people, particularly, females to be included in the advocacy for breast cancer to help in the education campaign.
According to her, though the general perception was that females in a certain age bracket were at more risk of contracting the disease, there were incidents of younger people contracting the disease.
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Addressing the staff and students of the Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS) at Kukurantumi, as part of the breast cancer awareness month, Dr Wiafe stressed that ‘breast cancer had no respect for age and gender,’ hence it was important to include everyone including adolescents, in the campaign.
“It will interest you to know that a 13-year-old, now 15 years of age, lost both breasts to breast cancer. This tells us that not even teenagers are spared of this deadly disease,” she said.
Talk
The event which took place at the school’s assembly hall on Friday, was also part of a month-long activities to mark the 60th anniversary of OPASS which will be climaxed on November 27, at the school.
After the talk, there was a breast-screening exercise for the students as well as staff who availed themselves.
Dr Wiafe who is also the leader of the Breast Care International indicated that the interaction with the students was also to provide a platform to educate the young ones especially students, to understand and acquire the primary knowledge on breast cancer treatment.
“We are focusing on training and educating young students as young ambassadors and advocates for breast cancer.”
No witchcraft induced
Dr Wiafe, also an old student of OPASS, further explained that both males and females were vulnerable to breast cancer but the most vulnerable are females, therefore the fight against breast cancer should be a collective responsibility.
Breast cancer, she stressed, was not due to witchcraft, but just like any other disease that must be treated medically.
She disclosed that in 2018, over 2,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer but the figure had risen to 4,600 in 2020, claiming about 2,020 lives, she thus advised women to seek early medical care when they notice changes in their breast to prevent any further complications.
Periodic check-ups
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong said it was critical that people submitted to periodic check-ups to ensure that their bodies especially the breast was up and right.
The Minister lauded the education given to the students by the Peace and Love Hospital and Breast Care International.
“It is not proper to stay at home without regular check-ups and out of the blue you experience this cancerous disease and attribute it to witchcraft. It is indeed good to serve God but we shouldn’t equate science and faith. Let us ensure that we encourage people to visit the hospital for scientific examination,” the minister told the students.
Some students told the Daily Graphic that the education was very useful because they learnt a lot and as teenagers, they are also supposed to be wary of breast cancer and stay cautious.