As part of measures to promote healthy lifestyle in the country, the SIC Ladies Association (SICLA) has organized a day’s workshop to sensitize women and raise awareness on the dangers of breast cancer, its detection and control.
The workshop held concurrently at various branches of the association under the SIC Insurance Company Limited (SIC) across the country saw over 200 members of SICLA educated.
Ms. Bernice Boachie, President of SICLA explaining the rationale behind the initiative said: “October is the breast cancer awareness month and that’s the major reason why we’ve decided to put up this particular event together to alert our women in the corporate institution especially here at the SIC about the practice of early detection and importance of breast examination”.
Dr. Yaw Asare, a medical practitioner at SIC Bob Freeman Clinic who facilitated one of the training sessions held at the SIC Head Office building in Accra on Wednesday, October 25, 2007 took the participant through series of contents on the disease including what causes breast cancer, its symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment as well as how it can be prevented.
In his presentation, Dr. Asare disclosed breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among women in less-developed countries.
According to him, the change in lifestyle has been the cause of the rising incidence of breast cancer in Africa, including Ghana and warned women against high volumes of alcohol consumption, working for long hours without rest, use of cosmetic implants among others to stay out of risk.
Dr. Asare finally called on all women to get themselves acquainted with their breast, noting “you’ll be better protected once you seek early diagnosis, you’ll have the chance of survival”.
He commended SICLA executives for embarking on the campaign initiative to educate its members and female workers within the corporate world to raise awareness on the deadly breast cancer disease.
In an interview, Ms. Bernice Boachie expressed worry over lack of knowledge on the part of most women especially Ghanaians in the application of self-examination method as a possible means to the early detection of the disease.
She called on all women in the country to get themselves equipped and empowered with the knowledge and on the disease including functions of their body organs, most especially the breast.
Dr. Baffour Awuah, Medical Director at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) who facilitated the seminar held for SICLA members at the Kumasi area office charged participants to impart the knowledge received into others as a way of contributing their quota meaningfully in the fight against the deadly breast cancer disease so they can also be empowered to stay out of risk.
SICLA was instituted 40 years ago as the first ladies association in Ghana.
The association exist to foster sisterhood in order to empower women and promote their welfare and rights against all forms of exploitation that limits the dignity of womanhood.
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