Regional News of Friday, 27 October 2023

Source: otecfmghana.com

BCI offers free breast cancer education and screening for El-Shamal Presby Church

A group picture of the guest speakers at the event A group picture of the guest speakers at the event

Breast Care International (BCI) has offered a free breast cancer education and screening exercise for the El-Shamal Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Ofankor in the Greater Accra Region.

The exercise sponsored by Delta Air Lines, is part of the airline’s ‘KICK OUT CANCER’ campaign aimed at providing free breast cancer exercise for women in Ghana.

The program was attended by women’s fellowship students from the Presbyterian School at Ofankor, and women from in and around the Ofankor community, on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

Also in attendance were Delta Air Lines General Manager for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Joseph Young, Delta Air Lines General Manager for Sales, Middle East, Africa and India, Manoj Kuriakose and Delta Air Lines Sales Manager in Ghana, Eloina Baddoo.

The participants were taken through the process of how to self-examine the breasts for early detection of breast cancer, by the BCI medical team headed by Beatrice Wiafe Addai.

They were also made to be aware that the disease is curable, treatable, and preventable, hence the need to seek early treatment when required.

Addressing the participants, the President of Breast Care International, Beatrice Wiafe Addai, described breast cancer as a silent killer hence the need for regular education on the disease.

She asked those who cannot do the Breast Self-Examination (BSE) to visit health facilities for clinical screening to know their breast cancer status.

“Breast cancer at the early stage is not painful; it can only be detected through screening. Once it is detected early, it can be treated and cured", she said.

Beatrice Wiafe Addai who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals in Kumasi and Accra, stated that breast cancer is not caused by witchcraft and must not be treated spiritually.

She noted that “women are dying needlessly from breast cancer because of the misconceptions that the disease is a spiritual curse, leading most women to seek help from spiritual doctors and praying camps where they compound the situation".

Delta Air Lines General Manager for Sales, Middle East, Africa, and India, Manoj Kuriakose, addressing the participants asked them to adopt the slogan ‘early detection saves life’ and report to the hospital if they detect anything unusual in the breasts.

Manoj Kuriakose said the airline company is proud to support BCI in the quest to save women in Ghana from the shackles of breast cancer, through breast cancer awareness programs.