Gender
Awareness: First weapon against breast cancer
October is globally observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month -a period dedicated to raising awareness, honouring millions of lives touched by the disease, and reaffirming the worldwide commitment to equitable access to care and improved survival for all.
This annual observance, marked in countries across the globe, serves as a rallying point to increase attention and support for early diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. The 2025 theme, “Every story is unique, every journey matters,” places a spotlight on the deeply personal experiences of breast cancer survivors and patients. It underscores the diversity of their struggles while reinforcing the urgent need for compassionate, timely, and quality care regardless of geography, income, or background.
Behind every diagnosis lies not only a medical condition but also a story-one filled with courage, resilience, and hope. These stories extend beyond individuals, shaping the experiences of their families, friends, and entire communities.
Breast cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 2.3 million women were diagnosed in 2022, and about 670,000 died from the disease.
“These are not just numbers but mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends who deserve hope and dignity,” the WHO emphasises.
Survival rates, however, differ starkly across regions. While the five-year survival rate exceeds 90 per cent in high-income countries, it drops to 66 per cent in India and 40 per cent in South Africa. The reasons are clear: unequal access to early detection, timely diagnosis, and effective treatment.
If current trends remain unchecked, both incidence and mortality are projected to rise by 40 per cent by 2050. To address this, the WHO established the Global Breast Cancer Initiative in 2021, working with partners to strengthen health systems and reduce preventable deaths worldwide.
The situation in Ghana
In Ghana, breast cancer poses a particularly pressing public health concern. It is the most common cancer among women, accounting for about 15 per cent of all malignancies.
Studies reveal a troubling trend: almost 70 per cent of women are diagnosed at advanced stages, where treatment options are limited and survival rates much lower. In 2012, nearly half of Ghanaian women diagnosed with breast cancer lost their lives to the disease.
These statistics point to late presentation, cultural stigma, and limited access to screening facilities as some of the key factors fuelling high mortality.
Experts warn that unless more women come forward for early screening and timely treatment, these figures may remain stubbornly high.
Executive Secretary of the Breast Cancer Society of Ghana (BCSG), Mrs Georgina Kumah-Dzagah, said the numbers are not just statistics, they represent lived experiences. A survivor herself, she knows first-hand the difference early detection and treatment can make.
“My journey could have ended differently if I had ignored the early signs,” she reflected. “That is why the theme ‘Catch it early, treat it right, survive it’ is not just a slogan to me. It is a lifeline that can save countless women.”
Mrs Kumah-Dzagah believes awareness is the first weapon in the fight. She stresses that women must be proactive, know their bodies, and act quickly when something feels unusual.
“A lump, nipple discharge, or changes in the skin should never be ignored or treated with fear and silence,” she explained. “Hospitals and screening centres are there to help us, not to harm us. Early detection gives the best chance for a cure.”
The Executive Secretary also raised concern about the role of misinformation and reliance on untested remedies saying, too often, delays and misplaced trust in alternative cures cost lives.
“Treating it right means trusting science and trained professionals,” she stressed. “Modern treatment -whether surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or hormone therapy -may be tough, but it saves lives. I went through these treatments myself, and though the journey was not easy, I am living proof that treatment works when given at the right time.”
Her message resonates strongly in a society where cultural beliefs sometimes discourage women from seeking hospital care, and myths about breast cancer fuel stigma.
For Mrs Kumah-Dzagah, survival is not simply about conquering the disease. It is also about reclaiming life, hope, and purpose.
“Breast cancer is not a death sentence,” she affirmed. “Survivorship comes with challenges, but it also brings strength. Today, I speak not just for myself but for every woman still in the fight.”
A call for collective action
Mrs Kumah-Dzagah believes that breaking the silence and stigma around breast health is critical. She called on women, families, and communities to support open conversations and proactive health checks.
She said “let us be bold to check, quick to act, and committed to supporting each other. If we catch it early and treat it right, we will surely survive it.”
She said, BCSG continues to lead nationwide campaigns to create awareness, encourage screening, and support patients and survivors.
Through advocacy and education, the organisation, she said reminds women that vigilance, timely treatment, and community support can turn the tide against breast cancer.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, a Deputy Chief of Staff, has called for sustained legal and institutional reforms to address gender biases within Ghana’s justice system.
She urged women lawyers to build on the legacy of trailblazers who have shaped the country’s legal landscape.
Madam Bampoe Addo made the call at the maiden Biennial Conference of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Women’s Forum, organised in collaboration with the Ghana School of Law in Accra on Tuesday.
The event was on the theme: “The role of women lawyers in national development: honouring trailblazers.”
Madam Bampoe Addo said the progress made by women in the legal profession was not accidental but the result of years of struggle, sacrifice and determination.
She paid tribute to early trailblazers such as Matilda Foster and Annie Jiagge, saying their achievements broke barriers and opened doors for generations of women lawyers.
She commended the contributions of female judicial leaders, including Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, Mrs Sophia Akuffo, and Mrs Gertrude Torkornoo, whose leadership reflected the growing influence of women in Ghana’s judiciary.
Women lawyers had made significant contributions across multiple sectors, including the courtroom, academia, policy development, civil society advocacy and community engagement.
Madam Bampoe Addo noted that their efforts had advanced gender equality, strengthened institutions and improved access to justice in the country.
She expressed concern about the persistent gender biases within the justice system, particularly in some judicial pronouncements that could undermine the dignity of women.
The courts, she noted, must not only deliver justice but must also communicate it in a manner that upheld respect and fairness for all parties.
“There is undervaluation of women’s unpaid domestic labour, including caregiving responsibilities, which are often overlooked in legal determinations, especially in matrimonial cases,” she added.
She called for a more progressive and context-sensitive approach to adjudication, drawing on comparative jurisprudence from other jurisdictions to ensure fairness and equity.
Madam Bampoe Addo urged legal practitioners and judges to build on progressive legal precedents and ensure that Ghana’s legal system evolved to reflect contemporary social realities.
She emphasised the importance of mentorship and inclusivity, encouraging women in leadership to create opportunities for others and support the next generation of female lawyers.
She called on young women to pursue legal careers with confidence, adding that the profession offered vast opportunities to contribute to national development.
Commissioner of Police (COP) Lydia Donkor, the Director-General of CID, said women lawyers played indispensable roles in shaping Ghana’s legal and governance systems.
They had excelled in various fields and occupied key leadership positions, contributing to policy reforms and championing justice for vulnerable groups, she added.
COP Donkor paid tribute to trailblazing women lawyers whose achievements continued to inspire and motivate younger generations to strive for excellence.
She urged students and young practitioners to go beyond academic successes and embrace the broader mission of promoting justice, fairness and societal transformation.
She encouraged more women lawyers to consider careers in the Ghana Police Service, describing law enforcement as a critical area where legal expertise was needed to strengthen justice delivery.
She commended the organisers of the conference for the success, saying it would encourage the next generation of women lawyers to continue to make significant contributions to Ghana’s development. – GNA
The Dzidula Pink Foundation has engaged expectant mothers on cervical cancer at a recent pregnancy clinic held at St Gregory Hospital, Budumburam in the Awutu Senya East District.
The engagement formed part of its advocacy on early cancer detection to safeguard maternal health.
It also formed part of the foundation’s broader mission to raise awareness about cancers affecting women, particularly at a time when many may be least likely to consider screening especially pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Addressing a gathering of pregnant women at the clinic, the president of the foundation, Ms Fafa Gozo, highlighted a worrying trend where a significant number of women are diagnosed with cancer around the time of delivery.
This, she noted, often results from delayed screening and limited awareness about the importance of early detection.
She educated the women about the need to prioritise their health by undertaking timely cancer screening, even while navigating the demands of pregnancy.
She reiterated that early detection remains one of the most effective ways to improve treatment outcomes and reduce mortality.
“Pregnancy should not be a reason to delay screening. In fact, it is a critical period where heightened awareness can save lives,” Ms Gozo said.
The engagement also created a platform for open dialogue, allowing the expectant mothers to ask questions, share concerns, and receive guidance from health professionals present at the clinic.
Health experts at the facility echoed the foundation’s message, underscoring that routine checks and screenings, when done early, can lead to timely interventions and better health outcomes for both mother and child.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
