Delta Airlines in partnership with the Breast Cancer International (BCI) has rolled out a monthly programme to create awareness of breast cancer in the country.
As a key component of the partnership, breast cancer awareness will be carried out in educational institutions, churches, workplaces, among others every month.
Addressing students of the Kwadaso Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Barekese Campus, BCI President, Dr Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, pointed out that breast cancer had nothing to do with witchcraft and that “it is a curable and survivable disease”.
The occasion coincided with the screening of breasts of about 800 female students of the College on Sunday.
Touching on risk factors, she mentioned that women with long menstrual cycles aged between 52 and 54 years and still menstruating were proned to breast cancer as well as women with lump in their breasts.
She urged women to stay away from excessive alcohol consumption, smoking of cigarettes and shisha, stressing that “a puff of shisha equals smoking 10 sticks of cigarette, according to research”.
The renowned surgeon also asked women to desist from eating fatty foods such as fried rice as such foods were risk factors.
Dr Wiafe-Addai, also the Chairperson for Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, urged the students and women in general to take the care of their breasts seriously, and exercise daily.
She noted that breast cancers at the initial stage of development were unnoticeable, and that “early detection of same presents the best of options for treatment”.
“A daily examination of the breasts is essential to discovering any anomaly when same is developing,” she stressed.
The event allowed some survivors of breast cancer to share their stories, and they urged the students to take advantage of the education by the BCI to take care of their breasts as they never had such opportunities.
Mr Daniel Attah-Tuffour, Principal of the College, was full of praise for the Delta Airlines and BCI for the education as it would help the students to be mindful of their breasts in order to live a responsible lifestyle.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, BAREKESE
