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Share stories to encourage others – Breast Cancer survivors told
Radiation oncologist, and President of BSoG Dr Hannah Ayettey (Second from
left) with some breast cancer survivors and representatives of the BSoG
The Black Women Rising Cancer Support Proj¬ect (BWRCSP) has been launched in Accra with a call on survivors of the disease to muster courage to share their stories to encourage the newly diagnosed.
The project is the flagship programme of the Leanne Pero Foundation, a registered UK Charity, offering help, informa¬tion and practical advice for people that have been diag¬nosed with cancer.
The initiative will help can¬vass support for many breast cancer patients and survivors in Ghana, while increasing aware¬ness about breast cancer in the country.
It is expected to kick-off in October in collaboration with the Breast Society of Ghana (BSoG), Breast Care Interna¬tional and other notable groups championing the cause of breast cancer awareness in Ghana.
Speaking at the official launch held at the residence of the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Leanne Pero, a breast cancer survivor and founder of BWRCSP, she said “Black Women Rising is the support group I cre¬ated after my treatment and it has really been helpful to many breast cancer fighters. I, there¬fore, would like to encourage survivors to share their stories of survival and hope, to encour¬age people fighting this dreadful disease.”
“Let us develop the habit of speaking more about breast can¬cer to increase awareness.”
According to Ms Pero, she and her team were in Ghana to assess the breast cancer situa¬tion in the country and offer the needed support.
She disclosed that the project team would also visit Nigeria to assess the situation there.
On his part, the Deputy British High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Keith McMahon, commended the group for the initiative in Ghana, adding that it would go a long way to save more lives.
He regretted the devastat¬ing effects of breast cancer on families and called for more initiatives geared at combating the disease.
By Raissa Sambou
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
