Mobile education unit to raise awareness on breast cancer

By Ofentse Mokae
25 May 2010

The Breast Health Foundation will launch the first mobile breast cancer education unit in an attempt to raise awareness on the disease.

The mobile education unit will be stationed at the Hout Bay Clinic available for training and testing for Imizamo Yethu residents.

In a statement the foundation says by implementing this project in the Western Cape they aim to see a reduced amount of breast cancer patients presenting with stage 4 advanced breast cancers.

“Education and awareness will empower women with the knowledge of early detection and therefore save lives,” says the statement.

The mobile breast cancer education unit is the brainchild of the BHF with co-sponsors, Avon Justine iThemba Fund (the organisation’s corporate social responsibility programme) and Curves Western Cape.

The unit will work closely with the Provincial Health Department.

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent women’s cancers in South Africa, with one in 9 women being at risk of being diagnosed with the disease.

The unit will mainly focus on educating the community about breast health and breast cancer, stressing that detection of the disease does not necessarily equate to a death sentence.

International statistics reveal that breast cancer comprises 10.4% of all cancer incidence among women, making it the second most common type of non-skin cancer (after lung cancer) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death.

In 2004, breast cancer caused 519,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths).

The unit will be launched on Thursday and will see speakers such as Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and South Africa’s First Lady.