Breast Cancer patients have been urged to seek medical treatment rather than attending prayers at church for healing.
A breast cancer survival, Irene Asiamah who made the statement, indicated that though there is divine healing, the disease is not spiritual so it demands medical attention.
Contributing to a discussion on breast cancer on a health talk show on Peace FM, ‘Mpom Te Sen’, madam Asiamah said many women are still ignorant and therefore there is the need to demystify the disease to get these women to understand its nature so that they are able to take the right steps to save their lives.
Many patients, she said flock to churches to pray instead of seeking the appropriate solution. She said the situation leads to late detection risking the life of the patients.
“We do not check ourselves until it gets worse. I would want to advise women to go to the hospital when they start seeing symptoms of the disease and stop going to churches for prayers. Ignorance is what is killing many women,” she said.
Madam Asiamah who had lived with the disease for sixteen years said sensitization on the disease must be deepened to reach many women, especially in rural areas.
To increase awareness on the disease, Crime Check Foundation (CCF) is launching a breast campaign, ‘Meena Breast Cancer Awareness’ project to heighten sensitization.
The campaign, which would be launched on October 6, 2022, would not only do advocacy but will seek to support patients financially to get medical treatment.
The Executive Director of CCF, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng said the campaign would be a daily activity but not yearly to ensure that lives are saved.
The campaign is an initiative the wife of Mr. Kwarteng, Amina Oppong Kwarteng intended to champion if she got well but she, unfortunately, succumbed to the disease.
This has inspired Mr. Kwarteng to pursue his spouse’s dream to help women grappling with the disease.
By Rudolph Nandi