The Executive Women Network (EWN) has, in partnership with the Nyaho Medical Centre organised a free breast screening exercise for a cross section of women in Chorkor, a suburb of Accra as part of the Network’s outreach programme to educate and promote early detection among women groups in vulnerable communities.
The exercise, held at the Seventy Disciple Church Auditorium in Chorkor, successfully screened over 200 women from the community and surrounding areas as the world commemorates a month long awareness creation on breast cancer prevention, early detection and treatment.
The beneficiaries were taught self-examination, the risk factors, the importance of early detection and treatment.
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women globally each year. It also causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women. In 2018, it is estimated that some 627,000 women have died from breast cancer. While breast cancer rates are higher among women in more developed regions, rates are increasing in nearly every region globally.
In Ghana, reported breast cancer cases have risen from a little over 2,900 in 2012 to more than 4,600 in 2018. According to the World Health Organisation, screening and early detection reduces the incidence of breast cancer related deaths.
The screening exercise, which was highly patronised, is part of the Executive Women Network’s commitment to empower and support women across the country. Beneficiaries praised the Network and the Nyaho Medical Centre for extending the exercise into their community.
The month of October is set aside globally to increase awareness on breast cancer – its prevention, risk factors and to promote early detection and treatment.
The Executive Women Network is a non-profit organization of women in senior management and executive positions in private organisations and women entrepreneurs of well-established businesses in Ghana.