By Fatmata Jengbe
To observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is October, one of the country’s mobile service providers, Africell Sierra Leone partnered with MEPS Trust Well Woman Clinic with the primary objective of conducting free breast screening for all staff of Africell as part of a move to raise awareness on the negative impact of breast cancer. The screening exercise commenced on the 8th October, 2021.
Commencing last week, the screening exercise will last till the end of the month.
Adijatu Salam, Head Sister at MEPS Trust Well Woman Clinic, dilating on the screening exercise, explained that the aim is to detect the disease early furthering how “early detection saves life”. She revealed that for the past five years they had been working with Africell to raise awareness which, according to her, has saved many lives.
Madam Salam stated that the screening would help staff of Africell to detect if they have lumps in their breasts maintaining that such will help them know their status and how they can take care of their breasts.
The MEPS Trust Well Woman Clinic’s Head Sister continued to explain that many breast cancer symptoms are invisible and not noticeable without a professional screening also intimating how some symptoms can be manifest just by being proactive and encouraged members of the public to visit the Well Woman Clinic to do their screening and get more awareness about breast cancer.
Kultumi Minah, Africell Corporate Sales Manager, said she embraces the screening exercise and thanked Africell for providing the service for all staff including herself. She explained that the experience was good and that she felt safe after knowing her status.
Patricia Jangah, Africell’s Human Resource Manager, disclosed that Africell decided to do the free screening exercise for staff to know their status as such will put them in positions to know what next to do. She stated that Africell cares for its staff which is why they decided to collaborate with Well Woman Clinic to conduct the free screening exercise. Madam Jangah added that not only the female staffers would undergo the screening, but the male staffers will also go through the exercise.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. Breast cancer occurs when malignant tumours develop in the breast. These cells can spread by breaking away from the original tumour and entering blood vessels or lymph vessels, which branch into tissues throughout the body. When cancer cells travel to other parts of the body and begin damaging other tissues and organs, the process is called metastasis.
Breast cancer can be diagnosed through multiple tests, including a mammogram, ultrasound, MRI and biopsy.
In general, there are five treatment options, and most treatment plans include a combination of the following: surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. Some are local, targeting just the area around the tumour. Others are systemic, targeting your whole body with cancer-fighting agents.
