The principal streets of the Kumasi Metropolis over the weekend witnessed Ghana’s Largest Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Walk, which was organised by the Breast Care International (BCI) and its partners.
The mammoth crowd started the procession from the Kumasi Main Post Office at Adum, through Prempeh II Street, Kejetia (Dubai), Roman Hill and Alabar, with its rendezvous point at the forecourt of Manhyia Palace.
This year’s edition of the Walk, themed “A Cure Worth Fighting For”, sought to raise awareness, to break silence, reduce stigma surrounding breast cancer, to celebrate survivorship, encourage early detection and prompt action as well as its treatment.
The annual event also marked a significant rebranding of BCI, after more than 23 years of tireless dedication to women’s health in Ghana, across Africa and globally.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the forecourt of Manhyia Palace, Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, Founder and President, BCI, disclosed that the Walk was to declare with “certainty” that breast cancer could be conquered – calling for all hands to be on deck.
She stressed the need for a continuous education of women, who need to know that breast cancer was a health issue and not caused by witchcraft.
Dr. Mrs. Wiafe Addai, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of the Peace and Love Hospitals, disclosed that there is “hope” that the future will be brighter than what prevails currently, regarding breast cancer.
She emphasised the importance of relaying the message to the youth so they grow with the knowledge that breast cancer is not caused by witchcraft.
The BCI Founder indicated that the gathering was with one mission – to fight breast cancer – a fight that could be won.
According to her, through BCI’s awareness programmes and outreaches a lot of awareness has been raised and that what was left to be done was the change of mentality of the people, especially women, that breast cancer was not caused by witchcraft.
She cautioned that women should not spend all their time at prayer camps, only to come to the hospital when it’s too late, urging women to let their pastors pray for them, whiles they seek treatment at the hospital.
Touching on the theme, the Founder urged all and sundry to bring their arsenals on board to fight the battle together as well as to save the lives of women especially younger ones, who die “needlessly and prematurely” from breast cancer, which was treatable and curable.
Dr. Mrs. Wiafe Addai emphasised that no woman should die from breast cancer because she was poor and that men should also disabuse their minds that breast cancer was a preserve of women.
Dr. Mrs. Wiafe Addai noted that in Ghana more than 2300 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year die from it, saying it is serious and unacceptable for the fact that it is higher than the number of people who died from COVID-19 within two years.
From Oswald P. Freiku, Kumasi
