The month is also a moment to reflect on the collective journey that requires a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach involving collaboration between governments, healthcare providers, community organisations and other stakeholders.
Also known as the Pink October, during this month civil society and stakeholders are encouraged to raise awareness about the disease to break the chains of discrimination in communities and support families affected.
The alarming rate of this disease among young Gambian women is a worrying concern. This brings to mind the importance of more advocacy and awareness raising about it.
In 2022, about 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide with 670,000 deaths, with a disproportionate number of these deaths occurring in low-resource settings.
In 2021, to bridge the inequalities in breast cancer outcomes in the world, WHO established the Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) with the goal of reducing breast cancer by 2.5% per year, which over a 20-year period would save 2.5 million lives.
In The Gambia, health experts warned that up to 71% of breast cancer diagnoses in the country now occur among younger women. This is really scary in view of the fact that this is the prime category at child bearing age.
Thus, it is a pressing health challenge like others such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV.
This month, dedicated to breast cancer awareness, would significantly help galvanise and drum-up support to tackle the devastating disease.
According to experts, with early detection the chances of survival are very, very high and the outcomes are almost equal to people who have never had breast cancer. In view of that, there is need to encourage our wives, sisters and even daughters to go for voluntary screening.
Also, it is crucial for women, who experienced pains or lump on their breasts to always visit health facilities for advice, as a lump on the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer, often feeling hard, firm, and irregular.
Though experts believe many other conditions can cause lumps, some breast cancers don't present as lumps at all.
Let’s remember that it is our collective effort, collaboration and compassion to do something about this disease, which continues to devastate the lives of many young women.
Despite being a growing health challenge in the country, with early detection, awareness and access to treatment, the severity is tackled.
Thus, let’s encourage our wives, daughters and sisters to go for voluntary screening as early detection saves lives.