Sensitisation Campaign: Y’de Residents Schooled on Breast Cancer Prevention

 By Doh Bertrand Nua in Yaounde
Inhabitants of Yaounde in the Centre region in particular and Cameroonians in general have been advised to regularly engage in sporting activities and conduct self-examination on their breast in order to avoid been affected by breast cancer.
  

Participants of the breast cancer prevention campaign

 The advice was given by Dr. Sinctieh Ngek, a medic practicing at the CBC health Centre in Ekoudoum, on Saturday, 24 October 2020. He was speaking at the end of a breast cancer awareness sports walk and sensitisation campaign.
    The event which took place at the Yaounde Parcours Vita was organised by the ‘Welisane Foundation’ in partnership with ‘Dare to Live Foundation’, ‘Rural Warrior’ and the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Centre.
    Welisane Mokwe Nkeng, founder of the foundation, explained that the awareness campaign was organised to round-up a month-long sensitisation that was launched by the foundation on 1 October 2020.
    “This is October and we call it pink October. It is the month to sensitise men, women, boys, girls on the prevalence of breast cancer in our community especially in Yaoundé. Statistics show one in eight women are going to have breast cancer in their life and this is a cause for concern. So, we are here to raise awareness, to support those who are battling with the disease, to encourage survivors and to form a coalition against breast cancer,” Welisane explained.
    She disclosed that prior to the sports walk and talk, the foundation had earlier launch sensitisation campaigns on online and traditional media. “We began with online sensitisation since 1 October 2020 with hashtags; pink cancer, punch cancer and early detection saves lives. We also have been on mass media – radio and TV, to talk about our activities and to talk about breast cancer and to sensitise the population about treatment, prevention and care of the disease, Welisane said. 
    She explained that the campaign ended with a sports walk which took the close to 45 participants to the summit of the Febe mountain and back alongside sporting exercises at the Parcours Vita to draw the attention of the population on the importance of sports in fighting the disease.
    “…We want other people to see that one of the causes of breast cancer is obesity. It is important for us to keep active, keep fit to be able to fight breast cancer and also we want other people to show awareness, support survivors and bring more people on board,” she stated. 
    Dr. Sinctieh Ngek in his sensitisation to participants on technics to individually prevent the disease equally underscored the importance of sports in fighting cancer in general and breast cancer in particular. 
    “Sport is a healthy living lifestyle and it helps to break down fat in the body. When this happens, it helps the person to shade down fat which is associated as a risk factor for developing breast cancer,” he explained, adding that breaking down excess cholesterol in the blood system is a strong factor that contributes to preventing the disease.
    Aside sports, the medic advised particularly females of reproductive age to carryout breast self-examination at least two weeks from the first day of menstruation in order to detect if there is a lump in their breast. Checking breast at least once a month he stressed will help in early detection, diagnosis and proper treatment. 
    He disclosed that there have been limited studies in the country on the disease in other to determine prevalence rate but stated that approximately, one in every eight women will develop the disease in their life while four out of every ten women in Sub-Saharan Africa will develop the disease in their lifetime.
    While responding to questions from participants, the medic encouraged all and sundry to ensure regular checks in hospitals. He said the free screenings that were carried out in the hospital as part of the month-long campaign as well as free scans for women with suspicious lumps led to the identification of some cases that would permit recommendation for appropriate care.
    Participants at the end of the campaign hailed the initiative, stating that the knowledge gathered from the campaign and health talk of the medic would be used to educate other people in their families, job sites and neighbourhoods.