There are some 500 women living with breast cancer in Guyana with between 40 and 80 new cases every year, according to Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy who on Monday urged young women and men to learn to do self-examination of their breasts and to live healthy lifestyles so as to reduce the disease.
The minister delivered the sobering statistics while addressing students and teachers of Christ Church Secondary which was chosen by the Avon Breast Cancer Committee for the launch of its secondary school breast cancer awareness programme.
Ramsammy said the number of persons living with cancer would continue to climb since women can now access treatment locally and so live longer instead of succumbing to the disease. He told the youths that all must get involved in the breast cancer fight to reduce the prevalence of the disease, adding that early detection is a big part of the fight. And women who breastfeed would reduce their chances of being diagnosed with the disease, according to the minister, who also pointed out that breast cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in Guyana with prostate cancer at the top.
One of the important aspects of the launching was encouraging those gathered to wear the pink ribbon, which signifies that they are in support of persons living with the disease, mourn those who had died as a result of the disease and are in the fight to reduce the prevalence.
Another significant activity for the morning was supposed to be the clinical examination of the breast shown on DVD. However, there was no audio and the visual was also poor.
Mignon Bowen of the cancer committee asked the students to help to carry the pink ribbon message to as many persons as they could and she told them that too many women do not take action early and this prevents them from accessing treatment to help them live normal and productive lives.