Koforidua Regional Hospital records 120 breast cancer cases

About 120 cases of breast cancer have been reported at the Koforidua Regional Hospital this year (2017) with an average record ranging from six to nine per week.

According to the records, most of the victims of the disease come from the rural communities which shows that it is alarming and needs to be looked at critically.

The senior surgeon at the Koforidua Regional Hospital, Dr. Foster Amponsah-Manu, who uncovered this, said many women now find it easy to report to the Medical Facilities for diagnostic examination and counselling due to the increase in the level of awareness.

Breast cancer, he said, is a curable disease and the key to that is early detection.

Dr. Amposah-Manu therefore entreated women who detect symptoms of the disease to quickly report to a medical facility for early treatment instead of resorting to local herbs and Prayer centres for the case to get out of hands.

He also advised the public to consume more fruits, vegetables as well as water and eat less sugar and fatty meals to save themselves from breast cancer.

The founder of JEAD foundation for breast cancer, Judith Ellen Awuah Darko said, as a survivor of breast cancer for the past eleven years, she saw the need to initiate the foundation to assist women in the rural communities living with the disease some of whom are stigmatized and rejected.

She said, women who have children should breastfeed since breast-feeding has positive effect on the woman as far as breast cancer is concerned.

Mrs. Darko urged families especially husbands to support women with breast cancer.

A survivor of breast cancer Patience Dornyo said, she almost committed suicide when she was diagnosed and told that she has the disease.

She noted that due to counselling from the hospital, encouragement from her daughter, husband and family members, she was able to overcome the shyness and trauma and gave herself out for treatment.

Mrs. Dornyo appealed to NGOs, stakeholders and the general public to come to the aid of people living with breast cancer.

She said JEAD's vision and mission, is to provide awareness of breast cancer and treatment, amongst rural communities.

The screening exercise on the theme “Early Detection, Effective Treatment” is the third in the series organized by the JEAD Foundation aimed at bringing hope to the hopeless.