Some participants at the event

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Forshes Africa Founda­tion, has organised a breast cancer awareness campaign in Hohoe, and educated resi­dents on the need to ensure regular screening exercise for cancer for early detection and treatment.

The one-day cancer screen­ing exercise, which was under the theme: “Early detection save lives”, saw 50 women screened for the disease, and those who were suspected of early development of cancer were referred to the Volta Regional Hospital at Hohoe for further medical examina­tion.

Speaking at the programme, the Project Manager of Forsh­es Africa Foundation (FAF), Pastor Nana Jones Boame, stressed the need for women who were mostly victims of breast cancer to at all times take proactive measures to ensure they were safe from the disease.

Referencing Proverbs 27: 12 of the Bible which read “the prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty,” Pastor Boame emphasised the need to be cautious and take preventive actions to avoid harm.

He explained that in the context of breast cancer, ear­ly detection through screen­ing was a wise and proactive step to potentially save lives through early diagnosis and treatment.

According to him, it was im­portant for breast cancer sur­vivors both male and females to share their experiences in order to offer hope to new­ly diagnosed breast cancer patients, saying breast cancer also affects men but was only prevalent among women.

An Oncology Nurse Special­ist at the Volta Regional Hos­pital, Mr Jonas Ntikie Njibe, explained that breast cancer simply occurred when cells in the breast grew uncontrolla­bly, which could affect men and women but commonly found among women, there­fore it was important for men to also screen and know their breast cancer status.

Mr Njibe said there was the need for people to adopt healthy lifestyles to reduce cancer, including regular ex­ercise, maintaining a healthy weight and eating balanced diet which were crucial means to reduce cancer in the soci­ety.

 From Samuel Agbewode, Hohoe

Mr Emmanuel Turkson Azumah, a breast cancer survivor, has ad­vised that just as women were encouraged to allow men to examine their breasts for signs of cancer, men should also be proactive in allowing women to check theirs.

He called on both men and wom­en to help each other detect breast cancer early.

Speaking in an interview with The Spectator, he emphasised the impor­tance of mutual breast examinations between partners to enable early detection, noting that the practice could benefit both men and women.

“As women are urged to allow men to suck their breast and examine them, women should do same for men as breast cancer can affect both sexes,” he said.

Azumah’s own experience with breast cancer began when he start­ed feeling pains in his right breast, something he initially dismissed, believing the disease only affected women.

He said his wife, however, encour­aged him to seek medical attention, and after a series of tests, he was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer.

He revealed that he quickly began chemotherapy, completing it in De­cember 2023, followed by 25 days of radiotherapy.

“Today, I am healthy, thanks to the early intervention initiated by my wife,” he said.

Reflecting on his experience, Azu­mah stressed how traumatic it was to learn that he, as a man, had breast cancer.

He encouraged women to allow their male partners to help examine them for signs of breast cancer and vice versa.

He believed that the mutual prac­tice could lead to early detection and, consequently, timely treatment.

Azumah urged people to offer emotional and financial support to breast cancer patients, as the cost of treatment can be prohibitive.

Furthermore, he appealed to the government to equip hospitals in the Eastern Region with mammogram ma­chines, which are essential for early detection but currently lacking in the region.

The Clinical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Dr Foster Am­ponsah, echoed Azumah’s concerns, noting that breast cancer cases were on the rise in the region.

He revealed that the hospital re­corded more than five breast can­cer-related deaths each month, with many patients seeking treatment at advanced stages of the disease.

This trend, he said, was particular­ly alarming among young women and emphasized that early detection was crucial.

He urged individuals to regularly check for symptoms and seek medical advice as soon as any abnormalities were detected.

The Medical Director of the hos­pital, Dr Arko Akoto-Ampaw, also highlighted the severity of the issue, stating that breast cancer has be­come the leading cause of cancer-re­lated deaths in the region.

He stressed the importance of con­tinued public awareness and educa­tion on breast cancer, noting that it affected both men and women.

“In an effort to make early detec­tion more accessible, the hospital has reduced the cost of ultrasound scans from GH¢100 to GH¢20, allow­ing more people, especially those with financial constraints, to afford screening,” he said.

 From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua