Breast cancer awareness month launched in Nzema

A Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign has been launched in Nzema of the Western Region with a strong call on women to adopt early detection as a lifestyle and not wait until it is too late.

The launch was held at the ARL Mining Car Park in the Ellembelle District on Monday, October 5, 2026, to kickstart activities marking this year's global awareness month from October 1 to 31 on the theme "Every Story Is Unique; Every Journey Matters."

The event was powered by the Adamus Ladies Association and jointly hosted by Hannah Chemel, President of the Association, and Dr Abdullah Abaas, Site Doctor of Adamus Resources Limited, with Dr Roland Paaga, Gynecologist, as Guest Speaker.

The program brought together female employees of Adamus Resources Limited and women from the company's catchment communities.

Dr Roland Paaga, in his presentation, warned that breast cancer is not exclusive to women.

According to him, men can also develop the disease and often record higher fatalities because they ignore early signs and report late to health facilities.

Dr Paaga urged women to practice monthly self-breast examination and to seek clinical breast examination at least every six months.

He outlined major risk factors including smoking and shisha, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet and lack of physical activity.

He further educated participants on the clinical pathway after a lump is detected, including full blood count, ultrasound or mammogram and biopsy, as well as the three main receptor types - Estrogen, Progesterone and HER2 - which determine treatment options.

He also explained why doctors sometimes recommend complete removal of the breast even for a small lump, noting that cancer cells could have spread to other parts of the breast tissue.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, Archangel Kaku Bennett, Corporate Affairs and Public Relations Officer of Adamus Resources Limited, said the initiative is part of the company's sustained investment in women's health and community wellbeing.

He said the company, through its Ladies Association, has over the years extended health education beyond the mine to basic schools, second cycle institutions and catchment communities, sensitizing young girls and women on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health.

Kaku Bennett announced that as part of this year's campaign, the team will undertake breast screening and education at Kwame Nkrumah Senior High School at Nsein in the Nzema East Municipality for all female students, and at Asanta in the Ellembelle District for all women and young women.

The President of the Adamus Ladies Association, Hannah Chemel, advised participants to examine their breasts regularly and report any early warning signs to health facilities for prompt attention.

She emphasized that early reporting saves lives and urged women not to resort to self-medication or ignore unusual changes in their breasts.

She thanked participants for attending and reiterated the Association's commitment to continue championing women's health in the catchment communities.

Some of the participants who spoke to Daniel Kakup after the launch commended Adamus Resources Limited and its Ladies Association for the initiative.

According to them, the education has opened their eyes to many myths about breast cancer and the need to check their breasts regularly instead of hiding lumps due to fear and stigma.

They appealed for such programs to be extended to more remote communities in Nzema where access to health information and screening remains a challenge.

Source: Daniel Kaku, Contributor
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