News
Breast cancer: Prayer camps not treatment centres – Oncologist
“Don’t just believe in spirituality about breast cancer, rather, seek early medical care,” an Oncology Nurse Specialist at the EffiaNkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH), Ms. JacklineAddae, has advised patients.
Sharing her views with The Spectator on care of cancers and treatment she argued that, medical care in addition to prayers, could save lives.
“Instead of patients roaming prayer camps and visiting spiritual homes until there seems to be no hope of survival from their conditions, cancer patients need to pay attention to early detection and seek professional medical advice and care,” MsAddae added.
Giving testimonies of success stories with early detection right through diagnosis and adequate treatment, she stated that there was hope for patients’ survival when the right decision was made promptly.
Ms. Addae continued “Even if there is a spiritual element, there is always a physical aspect so the patient needs to start the treatment journey by reporting to the hospital and back it with prayer.”
She said that the EffiaNkwanta Hospital established a breast care center in January 2022, and had since screened over 1,000 patients.
Statistics, the oncologist specialist said, showed that between January and June this year, 741 patients had visited the Unit with 404 screened during outreach campaigns.
“The number of patients referred on mammogram stood at 366 while diagnosis made were 32,” MsAddae disclosed.
She said, breast cancer was real and that women were at a higher risk of getting breast cancer than men and, therefore, entreated them to do self-examination seven days after menstruation through the ‘Touch, Look and Check’ (TLC) tools.
Experts in oncology treat cancer and provide medical care for a person diagnosed with cancer. The field of oncology has three major areas based on treatment: Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, and Surgical Oncology.
Medical oncologists treat cancer using medication including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, WHILE radiation oncologists treat cancer using radiation therapy, which is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells.
Surgical oncologists treat cancer using surgery, including removing tumour and nearby tissue during an operation. This type of surgeon can also perform certain types of biopsies to help diagnose cancer.
In another development, the Health Service Manager of Gold Fields, Dr. Magdalene D. Bakari, said that self – screening was critical in early detection of breast cancer and rapid medical response.
The expert gave the advice at 2022 breast cancer awareness programme organised by Abosso Gold Fields Limited (AGL) through Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) at Huni Valley in the Western Region, last Thursday.
She pointed out that, with early detection of breast cancer, diagnosis and treatment were sure way of survival.
DrBakari continued “ You must do self-screening by looking into the mirror and examine your breasts with hands and check whether there’s a lump. Do this every month and the best time is after menstruation, that is when your breast is lowered. After two weeks, the breast becomes heavy.”
She told participants that breast cancer operations should be done depending on the stage of infection and that, chemotherapy could be performed on patients to control the spread.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Effia Nkwanta
Medical Doctor and dietician, Dr Bernice Korkor Asare, has urged women to take greater responsibility for their lifestyle choices, particularly their eating habits and levels of physical activity, to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
According to her, although, some breast cancer risk factors, such as family history and certain reproductive factors, may not be within an individual’s control, lifestyle choices offer an opportunity for people to take preventive action.
She made this known during a talk on the topic: “Role of diet in breast cancer prevention” organised by Times Ladies Association of the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator, in Accra on Thursday.
The event themed “Breast Cancer Awareness- Promoting Early Detection, Healthy Eating and Prevention.” 
She noted that having a risk factor did not automatically mean a person would develop breast cancer, but could increase the likelihood of developing the disease compared with someone without that particular risk factor.
“Having close relatives who have had breast cancer, particularly a mother, sister or daughter, may increase the risk, although not everyone with a family history will develop the disease,” Dr Asare opined. Read More.
By Adizatu K. Munkaila
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
Read Daily News
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Buy Maps
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
A group of compassionate friends from Innovation Gospel Impact last Friday visited the management, teachers and learners of the Street Academy in Accra.
The visit was to interact to get a deeper insight into the operations of the Academy that houses hundreds of street and underprivileged children and find ways to support them.
The team was led by Rev. Dr Isaac Apenteng Yeboah, a former Director for West African Mailbox Club and Director for Prisons Support Foundation, and Rev. Dale Sutherland from Washington DC.
The call, according to the visitors was occasioned by reports about the struggles of the Academy despite the occasional support it enjoys from individuals and some corporate entities.
Briefing them, the Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, thanked them for the concern showed, indicating that “this is a major boost for both teachers and learners; knowing that their plight is known by people outside their premises.”
According Dr Lartey, the Academy had planned to undertake a number of project to enhance teaching and learning and also procure facilities for the children with keen interest in sports but had to shelve those plans for lack of finance.
He told the team that their biggest concerns were the monthly utility bills that takes a toll on their finances.
“We have a piece of land we planned to turn into an astro turf pitch to train the younger ones whose interests lies in making a career out of football, however, we have been unable to commence because there is no money now,” he said.
Dr Lartey expressed gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated their lives to training these children, rather than going for well-paying jobs and hoped that with time, their conditions of engagement would improve.
Moved by the plight of the Academy, the group donated a cash amount of Gh₵3,000 to settle its water bills.
They described as unfortunate the conditions of learners and teachers of the Academy and pledged to continuously support their operations to realize the dream to build a better future for the unfortunate children.
The group offered to support the school with its monthly utility bills, feeding and staff allowance and urged the Academy staff to remain in constant touch with them.
The Street Academy is located at the Accra Art Center and offers brilliant but needy the chance to pursue their educational dreams by enrolling them in public schools with others offered training in sports and cultural activities.
By Spectator Reporter
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
