To celebrate the Cancer month, Only Believe Care Foundation team visited Mary Hanney Secondary School, Oron on 24th October 2024 to create awareness on Breast & Cervical Cancer.
This program was tagged UNDERSTANDING THE DOTS ASSOCIATED WITH CERVICAL CANCER FOR EARLY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT.
Speaking to the students was Dr Ekemini Johnson who enlightened the students on the need to be positive and aware of the scourge of cancer.
She mentioned that Cervical Cancer is the second most common cancers in women in Nigeria, and it is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths for women in developing countries.
She showed a pictorial illustration of the Anatomy of the cervical cancer to the students.
She mentioned the risk factors which include:
1. High risk sexual behavior
2. Early marriage
3. Cigarette smoking
4. Decrease immunity
5. Age. Etc
Symptoms include:
1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding
2. Abnormal vaginal discharge
3. Symptoms of anemia because of bleeding.
On Breast Cancer she said a woman’s risk of developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime from birth to death is 1 in 8. She mentioned that the cause of Breast Cancer is unknown.
Males can also have breast cancer and its incidence is 1%.
While speaking to the students, she showed a photo illustration of the Anatomy of the female breast.
She mentioned the risk factors of Breast Cancer to include:
1. Gender
2. Age
3. Early menarche
4. Late menopause
5. Obesity
6. Diet
7. Lack of physical activity
8. Family history of cancer
9. Smoking
10. Exposure to radiation etc.
Signs and symptoms
1. Lump in the breast
2. Bloody nipple discharge
3. Inversion of the nipple
4. Skin changes
5. Poor appetite
6. Involuntary/unexplained weight loss
7. Symptoms related with spread to the other parts of the body.
In conclusion, she told the students that one can prevent breast cancer by;
1. Living a healthy life
2. Exercising
3. Breast feeding
4. Monthly breast examination
5. Clinical breast examination
6. Mammography for women older than 40yrs.
After the teaching, practical breast examination was illustrated by the team members before IEC materials and other gift items were distributed to the students.
©️Only Believe Care Foundation
