Thinking Pink In October

By Ifeoluwa Sylva

We are in October, the World Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The breast cancer awareness month is an international health campaign organized each October to raise public awareness about breast cancer as well as raise funds for ongoing researches into the cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of breast cancer.

This breast cancer awareness month is a global clarion call to every individual to stand up for breast cancer awareness; it also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer bedevilling the female folk worldwide, regardless of the level of income or social strata. According to Bray et al, breast cancer has become a major public health issue globally with over one million new cases diagnosed annually, resulting in over 400 million annual deaths and about 4.4 million women living with the disease.

Worse still, though not as prevalent as seen among the women folk, men are also affected by breast cancer, yet, it also affects one in eight women during their lifetimes (Dumitrescu & Cotaria, 2004; Bray, McCarron & Parkin, 2005; Okobia, Bunker, Okonofua et al, 2006).

It is strange that in a society where mammary fixation is proclaimed from every advertising hoarding, popular newspaper and television screen, yet, the incidence and prevalence of breast cancer remains on the rise.

The global increase in the prevalence of breast cancer recently calls for immediate decisive action; however, it is pathetic to note that most of us have turned deaf ears to the tears and pains of breast cancer victims.

Recent studies have revealed that increased awareness, early detection and onset of commencement of treatment offer a lifeline that aids breast cancer survival.

The use of rural/community newspaper remains a potent way of creating awareness about breast cancer. Soola (2003) declares that “a rural/community newspaper is a regular publication which carries news stories, features, editorials, illustrations, and pictures, as well as advertisements for rural and urban people. It is put together and published by rural folks in their own place”.

These newspapers have a potential for stimulating literacy and social development for helping to integrate rural dwellers into national life, thus, serve the purpose of creating knowledge in the rural areas to aid the prevention of breast cancer.

Also, free distribution of informative and educative materials on blood donation within the community, public toilets, car parks, churches, mosques etc will also serve as cost effective means of campaigning against breast cancer.

The idea of organizing breast cancer survivors and patients to campaign against breast cancer, by sharing their experiences and pains, will go a long way in driving home the importance of preventing the spread of the breast cancer menace.

The role and importance of the mass media and social media networks in creating awareness regarding the necessity to prevent breast cancer cannot be over emphasised. Facebook, MySpace and twitter etc. have been used in disseminating flimsy information that are not life-saving, however, why do we do find it hard to post a comment on these social networks that may potentially help save lives today and in the future?    

In my opinion, breast cancer patients are the greatest casualties of breast cancer awareness, as it brings back floods of painful memories of their pains and tears, often times regretful.

Oftentimes, encounters with breast counter patients who have survived mastectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy leaves me with mixed feelings, when they pose the question, ‘what did I do, who did I offend to deserve breast cancer?

Personally, I don’t know who benefits most from breast cancer awareness, but I’m sure that I’ve met a good number of its victims and I do appreciate the importance of preventing its occurrence through awareness campaigns. Can you say the same thing?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bray, F., McCarron & Parkin, D. (2005). The changing global patterns of female breast cancer incidences and mortality. Breast Cancer Research, 6, 229-239.

Dimitrecu, G., and Cotaria, I. (2004). Understanding breast cancer risk: Where do we stand? Journal of Cell Molecular Medicine, 9 (1), 208-211.

Okobia, M. N., Bunker, C. H., Okobia, M. N., and Bunker, C. (2006). Estrogen metabolism and breast cancer risk: A review. African Journal of Reproductive Health, 10(1), 13-25.