The MTN Y’ello Ladies Network, in collaboration with Breast Care International, has held its maiden breast cancer awareness outreach, urging women to prioritise regular screening and seek early medical attention to improve treatment outcomes and save lives.
Speaking at the Pink October outreach, Chairlady of the network, Antoinetta Kwofie, said the initiative was aimed at bringing breast cancer education and screening closer to women, particularly market women and others who often neglect their health while caring for their families.
Mrs Kwofie urged participants to take advantage of the free breast cancer screening offered at the event and encourage their relatives, friends and colleagues to do the same.
She cautioned that fear, stigma and misinformation continued to discourage some women from seeking screening and treatment, stressing the need for sustained public education and improved access to healthcare.
“Gone are the days when women had to suffer or lose their lives because of a lack of information. Today, through education, screening and honest conversations, every woman should feel empowered to understand her breast health, recognise unusual changes and seek professional medical assistance promptly,” she said.
Mrs Kwofie explained that the outreach formed part of the network’s broader commitment to empowering women and extending its impact beyond the workplace into the communities served by MTN.
She also called for greater compassion and support for breast cancer survivors, women undergoing treatment and their families, emphasising that no one should face the disease alone.
Breast surgeon and Chief Executive Officer of Peace and Love Hospital, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, urged women to seek early medical attention for breast abnormalities to help reduce breast cancer deaths in Ghana.
She said misconceptions and stigma surrounding the disease continued to delay diagnosis and treatment.
“Many people believe breast cancer is caused by witchcraft or is a spiritual disease. As a result, some women spend valuable time in prayer camps instead of seeking medical attention,” she said.
Dr. Wiafe Addai disclosed that more than 5,000 Ghanaian women were diagnosed with breast cancer annually, with over 2,300 dying from the disease. She stressed that early detection and timely treatment could improve outcomes.
She urged women to examine their breasts regularly and seek medical evaluation when they noticed unusual changes, noting that breast cancer could develop without pain in its early stages.
Dr. Wiafe Addai further called for sustained public education to encourage women to seek screening and treatment promptly rather than allow fear and misinformation to jeopardise their health.
Breast cancer survivor and advocate Benita Obona shared her personal experience, recounting how her mother died in her arms in 2001 at the age of 39 after battling the disease amid stigma and misconceptions about its causes.
In 2018, Ms Obona discovered a lump in her breast during a self-examination and sought medical attention despite her fear of cancer.
She underwent six months of chemotherapy and subsequently had a mastectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the affected breast.
“I told myself that whatever it took, I was going to do it to survive,” she said, describing her determination to overcome the disease.
Ms Obona, who said she would soon mark nine years as a breast cancer survivor, encouraged women not to allow fear of treatment or hair loss to prevent them from seeking medical care.
She urged women to prioritise their health, emphasising that early detection and timely treatment could make a significant difference in their breast cancer journey.