Over 300 women drawn from all walks of life have been offered free breast cancer screening and sensitised on how to easily prevent, detect, treat and deal with the disease by the Welisane Foundation and Dare to Live by Anjoh, a breast cancer survivor.
Hundreds participating in Welisane Foundation-led cancer awareness walk
This was during a breast cancer awareness walk which the two foundations organised under the patronage of the National Committee for the Fight Against Cancers. Sponsored by Les Brasseries du Cameroun, the walk served as part of activities to end a month-long sensitisation as well as the pink October month dedicated to fight against breast cancer.
Participants pose with sensitization banners during walk at Mt Febe summit
The crowd-pulling walk which took participants to the summit of Mount Eloundem as well as exercises at Yaounde Parcours Vita. It had as partners Life Line Cameroon, Sentinelle Cancer, Presbyterian Health Services and Working With Women Cameroon.
Speaking after the exercise, Welisane Mokwe Nkeng, Founder of Welisane Foundation explained that the cancer awareness campaign is an annual event for the during which sensitization is done and women encouraged to see the need to always go for screening once they notice any abnormality on their body.
Welisane Mokwe Nkeng sporting exercises at the Yaounde Parcours Vita
She expressed joy with the huge turnout at the walk noting that this year’s event brought on board many partners bodies to enable them to have greater impact.
“I am overwhelmed by the population that came today and I want to thank all those who took out time to come. We don’t take it for granted as your voice, presence matters,” Welisane said adding that the target as per the theme “One thousand stronger”, was to get 1000 voices talk of breast cancer across the globe.
“…I saw many people put a lot of effort to really workout and feel a change in their body and see the difference when they return home. We encourage them to continue with this life style,” she said after the sports walk.
Medics offer free breast cancer screening to women after awareness walk
Welisane used the opportunity to encourage women to have a mastery of their breast in order to easily notice changes and consult medics for early detection which she insisted, saves lives. She urged those whose case might be detected late not to fight alone but federate forces with organisations out there and survivors other in order to overcome the disease.
Njakwe Julie, Midwife at Presbyterian General Hospital Nsimeyong who led a team of medics to offer free screening to women said breast cancer despite being the simplest type of cancer to prevent, detect and treat falls among the highest killer cancer in the world especially on women.
She said there are no general causes of the disease but for pre-disposing factors that persons may have including smoking, family history, alcohol, exposure to ultra-violent rays which may cause issues at the level of the breast.
Free breast cancer screening offered participants
Njakwe said though all humans are susceptible to breast cancer, the rate is higher for women due to their hormonal changes involving monthly menstruation, pregnancy which can cause them to develop an abnormal lump.
The medic recommended regular self-breast examination for all. She said it is extremely important for women above 40 years to do mammography annually in order to know their status. She urged women to desist from fear of going for screening and rather be afraid of the cancer itself advising that early detection brings effective treatment.
“Whether you check or not, if the problem is there, it will surface one day. Pre-cancer cells take at least ten years to manifest in you. So, if you detect it early, it will be treated effective while if you detect late, treatment becomes complicated,” she stated.
Njakwe said aside breast cancer, cervical cancer for women and prostate cancer for men also kills. She warned all and sundry against leaving themselves to get to the cancerous stage before seeking for treatment which might end up being complicated.
On his part, Ivahedi Idjandja Dany, an official of Life Line, a not-for-profit organisation which encourages voluntary blood donation also used the walk to school participants of the importance of voluntarily donating blood to save lives while hailing the partnership with Welisane Foundation.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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