A paediatric nurse at the Apinto Government Hospital in the Tarkwa Nsueam Constituency, Madam Gladys Mawuse Fummey, has advised women to adopt the habit of regularly examining their own breasts.

She said examining the breast monthly was the best way of checking any defect in the breast.

Madam Fummey gave the advice at a free breast screening exercise organized by the Tarkwa branch of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Judah Temple, for women in the Church and other ICGC assemblies in the area.

The breast screening exercise which started at 0800 hours was expected to benefit more than two hundred women.

Madam Fummey said ideally every woman should set one particular day aside just after completing their menstruation and perform the self breast examination.

She said any unusual change detected in the breast should be reported to health centres for further medical examination, as it would help treat the disease successfully.

Madam Fummey explained that when the size of the breasts changes, like one becoming slightly bigger than normal, swollen, dimpled, discoloration of the breast and clear milk or bloody discharge in the breast suggested that a woman might have developed breast cancer and should seek medical attention.

She said some of these abnormalities were found in few of the women who participated in the program and they have been referred to see a gynaecologist.

Mrs Evenly Abbey, President of Precious Vessels of Virtue, a women's group in the Church said the free breast screening exercise was part of the activities to climax the annual ladies week celebration.

The theme for this year's celebration was "Arise and shine from Isaiah 60:1".

Mrs Abbey said because breast cancer had become one of the most increasing diseases killing women in the country, the Church would organize this screening exercise at least twice a year.

She said the Church would continue to create awareness of the disease to help reduce the rate at which women were suffering from breast cancer.