First Lady takes the cancer fight by the horns
AUCKLAND PARK — First Lady Tobeka Madiba-Zuma talks tackling breast, cervical and prostate cancer in SA.
‘Nothing is as powerful as pillow talk’. That was one of the shocking but honest comments from First Lady Tobeka Madiba-Zuma during her talk about her cancer and HIV campaign on 19 May at the University of Johannesburg in Auckland Park.
Madiba-Zuma said being in a place of influence provides a platform to make a positive impact in the lives of people in different communities in the country. Madiba-Zuma is one of the brains behind the Take a Girl Child to Work Campaign, and has several outreach programmes on matters of health and the well-being of women.
Starting off with a 2013 mortality report by Stats SA, which revealed that cancer was on the rise, Madiba-Zuma said South Africa currently faces the burden of this disease.
“In all its forms, cancer is a dreadful menace. Poor people and developing countries are always more vulnerable to these diseases. Poverty makes people prone to cancer, HIV and TB because there is a lack of information.”
She added that what would make a difference is the early detection of the disease.
The First Lady noted that there are several initiatives and programmes that have been started, including a cancer treatment clinic at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Parktown, but acknowledged that one of the biggest downfalls was insufficient financial backing from government institutions.
“I may not have an executive chair but I sit next to it every single day,” Madiba-Zuma continued. “We need to work together and join forces in this fight. We have to take health warnings seriously.”
During the panel discussion, lecturer from the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences at UJ Fatima Bhyat said the increase in the number of deaths related to cancer is due to the lack of screening processes.
“It is important that all women have regular mammograms and take family history into consideration, with certain cancers. As you age and your hormonal levels change, you will need to have regular screenings – it will help detect changes in your body from an early stage.”
