Liliana Agyeiwaa Awuah
The Bulk Oil and Storage Transportation Ladies Association (BOSTLA), has organized a sensitization programme to encourage men and women to have regular breast screening for early detection of breast cancer.
The maiden event by BOSTLA themed: ‘Protecting the Corporate Woman for Higher Productivity,’ emphasized early detection as the sure way for breast cancer survival.
The President of BOSTLA, Liliana Agyeiwaa Awuah, addressing the gathering said breast cancer is the most common cancer related death amongst women after lung cancer.
She said the disease claims the life of 21 million women and 80 men each year, globally.
“In an estimate 2018,602,700 of women died of breast cancer and 200, 68, 600 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed amongst women and approximately 2670 cases will be diagnosed in men,” she said.
BOSTLA Patron, Rennie Ahmed, speaking at the event encouraged individuals with a lump in their breast not to concentrate on what people would say but rather seek help in time to salvage their health.
According to him the reason why most people don’t go for breast screening is because they’re afraid of what society will say if they find out.
However, he advised that victims of breast cancer deserve love and support from society.
The Deputy Managing Director, BOST, Moses Asem, who graced the occasion, said deaths due to cancer can be avoided if people changed their perception about the disease.
He stated that most Ghanaians threat issues of this nature as spiritual and that has caused the lives of most individuals with breast cancer.
He also made a pledge of 10,000 cedi to sponsor 25 women to undergo a mammogram session.
Two survivors of breast cancer speaking at the event added that individuals with breast cancer should gather courage to go through all the treatment stages required to get well.
Dr. Ibraham Oppong, from the Total House Clinic held a breast cancer question and answer session with the participants followed by a free breast screening exercise.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Juliana Tamatey