By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Oct. 28, GNA – The TDC Ladies, in collaboration with the Tema Industrial Lions Club and Raphal Medical Center, have organised a breast cancer awareness and screening for staff of the TDC Ghana Limited.
The programme also offered staff physiotherapy and massage as part of the month-long breast cancer month (Pink October).
Dr Felix Ofori, a medical practitioner at the Raphal Medical Center in Tema, educating the staff on breast cancer, said breast cancer is prone in females even though males could also be victims of it.
Dr Ofori, said a World Health Organisation’s (WHO) report indicates that globally an estimated 2.3 million people suffered from breast cancer, out of which about 670,000 deaths were recorded globally in 2022.
“About 0.5 to one percent of men are also affected by breast cancer, so it’s something that must also be taken seriously.”
According to him, the cause of breast cancer is unknown, adding however that some risk factors that predisposed people to the disease included family history, genetic factors, increased intake of alcohol and smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle.
He added that some signs and symptoms included unexplained pain in the breast, ulcers and reddening of the breast, discharge from the ripples of the breast, lumps in the breast, and others.
The medical practitioner noted that some preventive measures for breast cancer that could be adopted were preventive surgery, which was done on people with a higher risk of getting breast cancer, avoiding alcohol and smoking, exercising, and diet modification.
He encouraged people to screen their breasts regularly to aid in early detection for treatment to increase the survival rate of the victim, noting that some treatments include removal of the breast and removal of the lymph tissues to prevent further spread.
“If we screen the breast; and detect anything, we will do further investigation and treatment. People should not wait till October; when you hit the ages of 40 and above, you can have it done twice in a year. So that you can detect early, and treatment initiated.”
Madam Kate Annan Quayeson, the president of TDC Ladies, disclosed that they carried out health awareness and screening activities annually to educate the women on how to take care of themselves.
She said they mostly touched on cancers and diabetes, adding that they chose to tackle breast cancer this year to coincide with the Pink October breast cancer awareness month.
She appreciated the leaders of TDC for their support, indicating that though it was on short notice, management was able to buy into the idea and rallied behind them to make the programme a success.
Mr Solomon Antwi, the president of Tema Industrial Lions Club, said the organisation often collaborates with like-minded institutions to promote the well-being of the people through the mobilisation of resource persons to create awareness on health-related issues.
GNA