‘Stop Stigmatising Breast Cancer Patients’
Dr. Serah Kaneh demonstrating how women’s breasts should be examined Ghanaians have been called upon to stop stigmatising breast cancer patients as it harms their ability to seek treatment, Read More... The post ‘Stop Stigmatising Breast Cancer Patients’ appeared first on DailyGuide Network .
Ghanaians have been urged to stop stigmatizing breast cancer patients, as doing so can impede their treatment, social reintegration and support needs, according to Dr. Serah Kaneh, a General Surgeon at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua. Dr. Kaneh, speaking at a health forum organized by the Employees’ Wellbeing Department of Gold Fields Ghana Limited in Tarkwa, stressed the significance of public acceptance and support for breast cancer patients.
The forum, which took place during breast cancer awareness week, aimed to educate Gold Fields' community members, employees and their spouses, and other corporate bodies within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality about the disease.
Dr. Kaneh emphasized that breast cancer is not contagious and can affect both males and females, but females are more susceptible. She advised breast cancer patients to maintain confidence, not allowing stigmatization to affect their self-esteem. The doctor recommended regular self-examination, suggesting that women should practice it on a monthly basis to familiarize themselves with their normal breast appearance.
If any changes are noticed, she urged them to seek quick medical intervention, as all treatment options are available in Ghana.
Lead Specialist for Health Services at Gold Fields Ghana, Dr. Magdalene Bakari, mentioned that the forum also focused on menopause. She expressed concern that breast cancer continues to claim many women's lives, but she believed that many of these unnecessary deaths could be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. Gynaecologist Dr. Annabel Amina Bawah stressed the importance of public understanding of the physical changes women undergo during the transition from premenopausal to menopausal stages, as well as after menopause. She explained that menopause is a natural phase in a woman's life, and not an illness.
Psychologist Dr. Vida Badu Oppong added that women battling breast cancer and menopause require psychological support from screening through treatment choices, and until the end of their lives.
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