By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, June 29, GNA – More than 200 street hawkers have benefitted from a breast cancer screening exercise organised by the Meena Breast Cancer Foundation (MBCF) with an appeal for support to expand the awareness creation on the disease
The MBCF seeks to raise awareness on breast cancer not only in October but throughout the year and to provide financial support for struggling cancer patients to undergo treatment.
Mr Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the Executive Officer of the Foundation, said their vision was to stem breast cancer related deaths through
their aggressive campaigns in schools, institutions, and communities across the country.
He said breast awareness campaigns and screening should be a continuous and sustained one throughout the year as more women needlessly die of the disease.
He said the Foundation has commenced the construction of the first breast Cancer Clinic on the campus of T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School at Gomoa Potsin in the Central region for screening of diagnosis and other general health services.
He said the exercise was focused on hawkers, who ply their trade from McCarthy Hill to Mallam and per the nature of their work, they did not have time to know their breast cancer status, hence the screening and to provide education for them.
Mr Kwarteng said the health personnel would educate these women on the dos and don’ts of
the disease because, when the disease is acquired, there were certain foods that should not be eaten.
Mr Kwarteng appealed to the government to put proactive measures in place to reduce the costs of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
He said the Foundation had planned a six-month outreach, which would include a visit to Community, Prison, Schools, Markets, Offices and Religious Groups.
Madam Judith Agbo of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital commended the leadership of the Foundation for the efforts to continue to create awareness on the disease.
She encouraged the public to take advantage of free breast cancer screening at health centres nationwide to know their status.
Beneficiaries were screened for breast cancer and educated on how to personally check for
symptoms of the disease after their monthly menstrual cycle.
GNA