Foundation raises breast cancer awareness
Hope for Cancer Foundation (Hocaf) has conducted breast cancer awareness campaigns in Lilongwe and Mchinji women.
The campaign, which emphasised on the importance of early detection for treatment, was conducted from May to September this year and reached out to about 1 000 women.
In an interview, Hocaf founder Blandina Khondowe said the free visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) screening and breast examination found 19 women positive for pre-cancerous lesions; two had advanced cervical cancer and were referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital while six others were treated with thermocoagulation.
“Recently, we have emphasised on cervical cancer awareness which is followed by free VIA screening for those in attendance and are willing to get tested.
“According to Global Hope Organisation, cervical cancer represents 40 percent of all cancer among females and Malawi has the highest age standardised incidence rate at 75.9 per 100 000 in the world,” she said.
Mchinji district health officer Juliana Kanyengambeta said the district has one of the highest cervical cancer prevalence rates, as such, it requires increased cancer sensitisation.
The campaigns in Lilongwe and Mchinji were funded by United Kingdom-based Florence Mwagomba-Ngoma, who raised K269 300 through her participation in a cancer marathon in London and the Silver Grey Foundation which donated K1 million.
