Avon Justine Managing Director for South Africa, Mafahle Mareletse
by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG – MEDICAL experts and oncologists in have kick started Breast Cancer Awareness Month in South Africa.
Avon Justine, the global beauty and personal care company, is facilitating the initiative.
It has arranged a webinar where medical experts would share insights on the medical journey that breast cancer patients go through and how the chronic disease impacts on many aspects of the lives of those infected and affected by this chronic disease.
“As a company for women, Avon has always been at the forefront of championing awareness and education about breast cancer awareness,” Mafahle Mareletse, Managing Director of Avon Justine, said.
He said working with the company’s partners, they had emphasised the critical importance of early detection, which made a difference between complete recovery and in certain cases even death.
“This webinar seeks to take information dissemination about breast cancer a notch higher and to ensure that those infected and affected by breast cancer intimately understand the journey of breast cancer treatment and can make informed decisions,” he said.
Among dignitaries who have confirmed participation at the webinar is Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga.
She is a breast cancer survivor.
Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among women across the world.
According to the National Cancer Register, apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 25 in South Africa.
Experts have found that barriers to early breast cancer detection are not only about poverty and socio-cultural issues.
Dr Molefi Molefi, Chairperson of Journeys, said many health workers even questioned the role of screening mammography in reducing mortality from breast cancer, raising concerns about whether the possible harm of over diagnosis and over treatment may not end up outweighing anticipated benefits.
“We strongly firmly believe that we all ought to collectively contribute towards increased research on prevailing access barriers and underlying factors that derail quality of care,” Molefi said.
– CAJ News
