Support fight against breast cancer - UT bank

UT Bank on Friday appealed to corporate bodies and individuals to support financially to its Pledge Pink Campaign, aimed towards fighting breast cancer in the country.

The campaign, which was the 4th edition, was instituted by UT Bank to coincide with the global commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness every October, and support organizations such as the Cancer Society of Ghana to create awareness about the diseases in men and women.

Mrs Zara Neequaye, Head of Quality Service at UT Bank, noted that, the rate at which many women are being diagnosed with the disease is alarming.

She said nearly one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their life time, a total of one woman every three minutes and nearly 2,000 men are diagnosed each year as well.

She said it is estimated that over the next 25 years, 25 million people around the world will be diagnosed with breast cancer and that of these; 10 million could lose their lives over the next 25 years.

Mrs Neequaye said the campaign has raised funds to purchase a GHc100, 000 Mobile Screening Van, to reach out to those in the hinterlands for screening.

The van would provide easy access to disadvantaged women and men and increased their chances of detecting the disease at the early stages, as well as increasing the chances of a successful treatment.

Mrs Pearl Esua-Mensah, Deputy Managing Director UT Bank, and a Patron of Pledge Pink Campaign, said “as the disease is known to affect both women and men, it is important for all to come on board and support to save lives.”

Mrs Esua-Mensah said through the campaign, UT Bank had been able to pay for 46 cancer patients and appealed to all to support in the fight against the disease.

She said the campaign is one of UT bank's flagship social intervention projects and activities such as Walk and a Pink Ball, which had been organized to create public awareness and generate funds to support the bank's breast cancer project.