By Foday Moriba Conteh
Orange-Sierra Leone, the country’s dependable mobile services provider, Orange-Sierra Leone, in collaboration with Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation, has on Monday October 26th, 2020, undertook breast check-up for Orange staffs as part of the World Breast Cancer Awareness month, which was celebrated worldwide.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Foundation Manager, Orange Sierra Leone, Desmond Spaine, in a statement revealed that Sunday the 25th October 2020 was declared as Breast Cancer Day.
He further disclosed that for several years, Orange Sierra Leone, has been working with Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation saying such will enable them to create a platform and opportunity for women who do not have the opportunity to go to the hospital to do their breast cancer check-ups.
He said this opportunity is not only being limited to their members of staff but they are also visiting market places to meet the grass roots and give them the opportunity to check their breasts.
Spaine said Orange is also supporting the treatment of breast cancer victims to the extent of financing operations that are needed to be done on those victims.
He continued that because of the corona virus in the county this time around they are doing an awareness campaign involving a cross country marathon to raise awareness about breast cancer.
“We will sensitize people about breast cancer and what they should do to prevent it,” Desmond Spaine said.
He said they are educating people on how to check themselves to know if there are lump in their breasts and to make reports if such are discovered.
Desmond said a lot of women are victims of breast cancer.
“They are seeking for help for them to undergo operations so that they will be healed and become healthy,” he informed.
Annie Wonnie- Katta, Public Relations and Corporate Affairs Head, Orange Sierra Leone, said the campaign is not only limited to women but men as well, “Because breast cancer does not only affect women.”
She said there is no awareness among men about breast cancer.
“We also need to take caution and to check their breasts,” she said.
Annie further revealed that the money donated in cash to Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation was Le 75M plus other added items given for the campaign.
She said Orange Sierra Leone also provided cars for Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation to do sensitization in various communities as the campaign is intended for men and women to be aware of their breasts saying they should not be left out in any kind of way.
“They need to be checked. If lumps are earlier detected in their breasts they will be treated and lives will be saved,” Annie Wonnie- Katta said.
She said despite the fact that there is corona virus in the country other sicknesses should not be forgotten.
She stressed the move will complement the work of health practitioners adding that people should be aware that it is not only corona virus that can kill but other sicknesses as well like breast cancer.
The Chief Executive Officer for Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation, Cremenda Pratt, thanked Orange Sierra Leone for their support.
“It is good when an office is taking care of their members of staff because a healthy work place is a positive and reproductive one,” she stressed.
She said breast cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and Sierra Leone is part of the globe. Annie pointed out that people have to learn to be aware by checking their breasts ten days every month after menstruation.
Madam Cremenda continued that women have to understand what to look for in their breast saying because it is about early detection and if noticed quickly it will be cure, and if noticed late it will cause morbidity or death or the breast of the person will be cut because the cancer have gone far and has spread wide.
She appealed to the nation that early detection can save lives.
Madam Cremenda revealed that Breast Cancer Day was celebrated all over the world adding that women have died in numbers because of the silence. She said one person, one organization or one nation cannot fight the sick except everybody comes together as one.
She furthered that during the checkup if they find out that a person has breast cancer, it will be confidential and they will explain to the person what is involved stating that all that is needed is treatment. She said, after that, the person can choose the best option whether to do the operation in Sierra Leone or abroad.
The Chief Executive Officer for Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation said Sierra Leone is trying as far as treatment is concerned but if a person needs proper treatment that person has to go to Ghana or India.
Madam Cremenda ended by stating that the support given to them by Orange-Sierra Leone is not enough but it will take them far. She pleaded with the Government to help in the fight against the disease.
Top ,.. top top … post! Keep the good work on !