Some participants who took part in a free breast cancer screening exercise organised by the Angel Broadcasting Network (ABN) have been found to have lumps in their breasts.
This was disclosed by Dora Antwi, a midwife at Royal Natural Health and Wellness Clinic, a facility that partnered with ABN for the exercise held as part of activities to climax Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
According to her, some of the affected participants were previously unaware of their condition, while others had noticed signs and symptoms but had failed to pay attention to them.
“We have noticed a number of people who have lumps in their breasts which they are not aware of. Some of them have started noticing the signs and symptoms but have not paid enough attention to it,” she said.
Miss Antwi said the screening covered blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and breast examinations, focusing on identifying lumps, cysts, deformities, unusual discharge and other abnormalities.
She said the exercise, which brought together doctors and nurses, was aimed at promoting early detection of breast cancer and encouraging the public to pay attention to their health.
She added that participants in whom abnormalities were detected have been referred to hospitals for further examinations, including scans and mammograms, to determine the nature and stage of any condition.
She said the team is also educating participants on how to conduct breast self-examinations at home to help them become familiar with their bodies and recognise unusual changes early.
“We are also teaching the patients how to do their own self-examination. After we screen them, we teach them ways to do it by themselves at home without waiting for another October,” she stated.
She encouraged both men and women to pay attention to changes in their bodies and seek medical attention promptly whenever they notice anything unusual, stressing the importance of early detection and treatment.
Some participants who took part in the exercise shared their experiences.
Madam Grace Taylor, a participant from Ashaiman, said a lump was detected in her breast during the screening and she has been referred for further examination.
“I came to examine my breast and they detected a lump in it. So I have been referred to the hospital for a scan to determine if it is cancer,” she said.
