Many women reporting breast cancer cases late - Specialist

A medical doctor at the Lister Hospital, Dr Claudia Gyimah has expressed worry that fear is holding many breast cancer patients from seeking early medical attention.

According to her, many women have had their breast amputated as a result of reporting late at health facilities with breast cancer cases.

She explained that because many people lacked information on the disease, whenever they detect some abnormal lumps in their breasts, they rather resort to herbal medicines for treatment due to the fear that when they report at health facilities, their breasts would be cut off.

Screening

She said some breast cancer patients report their cases only when their conditions deteriorate.

Dr Gyimah, who was speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic during a breast cancer screening exercise organised jointly by Twellium Industries Limited and Lister Hospital at Kaneshie over the weekend said breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women in Ghana.

She said although the disease used to be prevalent among women above 40 years, recent statistics indicates that many young people in their 20s are also developing the cancers.
She has, therefore, encouraged women in particular to seek early health intervention whenever they discover abnormalities in their breasts.

Check-ups

Dr Gyimah said seeking medical intervention early would help to save many breast cancer patients and potential breast cancer patients from having their breasts cut off or dying from the disease.

She, however, advised women who have breast cancer patients in their families to regularly visit health facilities to check the status of their breasts, explaining that people who have breast cancer patients in their families are five times prone to the disease.

The Business Development Manager of Lister Hospital, Ms Afua Dadze said Lister Hospital was offering free breast screening for the month of October and called on women to take advantage of the offer.

CSR

The Assistant Marketing Manager of Twellium Industries, Ms Emelia Gyasi said the exercise formed part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.

A health walk was organised before the breast screening 

She said the company had embarked on other health screening exercises in various communities across the country as part of measures to promote good healthy living among Ghanaians.

About 500 people were expected to be screened at the exercise organised under the TWI Foundation instituted by the company to support the less privileged in the society.

She said since the formation of Twellium foundation in December 2016, it has supported many vulnerable people in society in the areas of health, business and education.

The walk

The screening started with a health walk from Kanda and ended at Azuma Nelson Sports Complex at Kaneshie, where the screening was done.

Some of the participants going through aerobics before the breast screening