Regional Manager, Environmental Affairs & Breast Cancer Awareness Advocate, Charlotte Tay speaking at the launch
Newmont Ghana’s Women & Allies (W&A) Network has joined the global community to mark this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the launch of breast cancer awareness programmes.
The W&A Breast Cancer Awareness Month programme, launched in Accra, is aimed at intensifying breast cancer awareness, provide education and raise funds to support affected patients.
Activities lined up for the month include health screening exercises, talk programmes, awareness campaigns and a forum on the theme: ‘Breast Cancer Awareness: A Shared Responsibility’.
Chair of the Accra Chapter of Women & Allies Network, Neringa Berzinskaite, speaking at the launch, expressed worry at the staggering statistics of women who have lost their lives due to lack of awareness about the disease.
“Looking at the statistics of women getting diagnosed in late stages due to lack of awareness and education, we thought that we could make a positive impact by saving lives. This can significantly reduce the number of affected women who are isolated and left to die,” she said.
For Ama Bawuah, the Executive Patron for Women & Allies, Newmont Ghana, the loss of a close friend to breast cancer after six months of late detection, remains one of her toughest life experiences.
“Early detection is key to surviving breast cancer and we should not wait till it is too late. Let us also give moral support to family and friends who are diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said.
Madam Bawuah advised that financial constraints should not be reasons to lose a life because there are health-related organisations in Ghana that provide support to breast cancer patients.
She appealed to the management and staff of Newmont Ghana to donate generously in support of the Women & Allies efforts towards breast cancer awareness and prevention. There is currently no known cure for breast cancer, and its early diagnosis is critical to survival.
Eva Boakye, a breast cancer survivor and advocate, shared her story of survival and resilience. Diagnosed with the disease after losing two cousins to breast cancer, Eva confronted her fear of seeking treatment to turn the tide and fight for her life.
“Initially, I thought it was a death sentence because I lost my cousins to breast cancer. However, early detection and constant treatment have made me survive today,” she said.
She admonished women to regularly inspect their breasts and seek early treatment should they detect signs of the disease.
About half a million women die from breast cancer each year, with 70 percent of these deaths occurring in low and middle income countries, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In Ghana, breast cancer is believed to be the leading cause of cancer mortality in women and the rate of incidence is expected to rise if awareness creation is not enhanced.
The Women & Allies (W&A) Business Resource Group is central to Newmont’s global inclusion and diversity strategy. W&A seeks to enhance the representation and contributions of women through professional development and by building a more inclusive workplace culture.