Prioritising female well-being at the new Maboneng Center for Women’s Health

The centre is located on the fourth floor of the Medical Suites at Arwyp Hospital in Kempton Park. “Female surgical diseases is often considered a taboo topic but an important one nonetheless. Women are integral members at all levels of society, and as such, good health means we can contribute our best selves. But often, many female health issues are overlooked or neglected, leading to delayed diagnosis and lost opportunities to prevent diseases or treat women. The Maboneng Women’s Health Center was created to give women all the support they need to thrive through healthy living,” Kilani shared.

‘Maboneng’ means place of light in Sotho. “It was chosen to embody a center that brings hope and light during a very desperate time in a woman’s health journey. The centre offers treatments for a myriad of conditions. These include the diagnosis of breast lumps and other breast symptoms, gastro-intestinal disease, hormonal and endocrine disorders, pelvic floor and incontinence, and proctological disorders such as piles. One of the more attractive aspects of the centre is its dedicated team of female professionals. The team includes physiotherapists and pathologists, as well as Dr Leiyah Bassa, a clinical oncologist, and Professor Nkhensani Chauke-Malinga, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Dr Kilani is no stranger to hard work. She gained her experience at the busy Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital’s Breast Unit many moons ago. She is also the damage-control surgeon as part of a multinational team of health professionals who provide emergency healthcare in the war-torn regions of Mali and Somalia. “It’s a dream come true to be able to create a place where women can turn to for quality care. While the web is filled with tons of information on various conditions and diseases, self-diagnosis is never safe or recommended,” Kilani advised. October is breast cancer awareness month and although awareness received some spotlight, Kilani fears that too little attention is paid to the dreadful disease.

“In the midst of the coronavirus, it’s clear that life is no longer what it used to be. And when considering the impact of Covid-19 on women’s health, the pandemic has made paying attention to diseases like breast cancer ‘less important’, but don’t fall for that idea. Cancer doesn’t discriminate or wait for an opportune moment in time. It’s slow to detect and what feels like a niggling issue can be advanced-stage cancer. The Maboneng Center for Women’s Health provides full breast assessments and breast lump investigations. We’re here to help you understand what your body is going through and ready to see to your needs,” shared Kilani. The centre handles everything in-house. It’s a ‘one-stop-shop’ for female surgical care. Services include:

• Clinical risk assessments
• Screening mammography and other investigations
• Confirmation of diagnosis via biopsy
• Pre-operative preparation
• Breast reconstruction options to meet each individual patient’s needs
• A post-operative recovery team including psychologists and physiotherapists
• Oncologists for adjuvant cancer therapies
• State of the art operating rooms with cutting-edge surgical technologies

It’s open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, and between 9am and 1pm on Saturdays.   Contact the centre on 011 922 1264 or 060 740 0914 to book your consultation. For more information, professional opinions and interesting topics around women’s health follow the centre on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.