Bethal Hospital workers march for awareness
October is breast cancer awareness month.
BETHAL – In celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Bethal Hospital took hands with stakeholders and created awareness on Monday, October 31.
Wendy Mavundane, the matron of Bethal Hospital, urged women to go for health check ups regularly and get screenings done to detect cancer early.
She said breast cancer has been identified as a national priority with increasing incidents occurring.
According to Andrew Mthethwa, spokesman at Bethal Hospital, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women besides non-melanoma skin cancer.
Breast cancer has a lifetime risk of one in every 27 women.
“There is a growing concern that most women show late-stage cancers, which makes prognosis difficult,” said Mthethwa.
Promotion of health by the Department of Health, plays an active role in educating women about the symptoms of breast cancer and how to do monthly self-examination of breasts.
Mthethwa said research has shown that a regular breast self-examination (BSE), plays an important role in discovering breast cancer, compared to finding a breast lump by chance.
“While not all breast lumps indicate cancer, they should be investigated,” said Mthethwa.
“It is vital to educate yourself and get to know the warning signs and symptoms.
“The Cancer Association of South Africa offers clinical breast examinations at Cansa care centres to detect any irregularities and patients with medical aid benefits can claim from their medical aids once they have paid for the screening.
“Women are entitled to an annual clinical breast examination when visiting primary health care centres according to the National Department of Health’s breast cancer control policy.”
A mammogram (a special x-ray to detect lumps in the breast), does not prevent breast cancer, however, can save lives by finding breast cancer as early as possible.
Women from the age of 40 should go for an annual mammogram, for purposes of non-symptomatic breast screening.
Women of 55 and older, should have a mammogram every two years. Some people have gene mutations that make them more likely to develop breast cancer.
The most common gene mutations are found in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that normally produce proteins that protect one from cancer.
BRCA1 (breast cancer gene 1) and BRCA2 (breast cancer gene 2) are genes that produce proteins that help repair damaged DNA.
Women with one of the defects have more of a chance of getting breast cancer so should be referred for a yearly mammogram.
The participants of the breast cancer awareness campaign distributed information about breast cancer and had presentations of breast cancer prevention.
They marched from Bethal Hospital to the town clinic in Bethal where the campaign ended with speeches by officials of the Department of Health and stakeholders.
