As a way to honor and celebrate International Women’s Day, all staff of Park Inn by Radisson hotel, on Friday March 8, were educated about breast cancer and how to avoid the disease that mainly attacks women. The event that took place at the hotel’s JJ club, was attended by female and some male staff from all departments who had interactive discussions about the scourge with medical staff from Oshen King Faisal Hospital. According to Bright Batamuliza, Human Resources Manager at Park Inn, this year’s theme for Park Inn Women’s day was ‘Empowering Women through Health’. “We chose this based on the world wide theme ‘Balance for Better.’ We are balancing the lives of our women at Park Inn through health sensitization and creating awareness about breast cancer so that they can know about it and how to fight it through early diagnosis,” said Batamuliza. She added that at Park Inn by Radisson, Women’s Day was a thoughtful day for them at Park Inn as they strive through life. They thought it best to invite specialists to the hotel and celebrate the day with lessons and testimonies. “Women’s Day is a day of reflection and a strong call for all women, young and old, to look beyond their history and current trends and aim for better living. As we perform our different duties we want to encourage our female staff to work hard but to also take care of their health. Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable and worth saving,” added Batamuliza. “As part of the International Women’s Day activities, we partnered with Park Inn to raise awareness on breast cancer which was an opportunity to educate their staff on the deadly killer disease,” said Constance Mukankusi, Outreach Officer at Breast Cancer Initiative East Africa. According to Mukankusi, the activities of the day involved highlighting aspects such as early diagnosis, treatment, as well as types of cancer, among others. During the interactive discussion, it was highlighted that the major risk factors for non-communicable diseases, including breast cancer, are tobacco use, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet. Mukankusi encouraged people to reduce exposure to the risk factors so that they avoid getting such non-communicable diseases. “People should engage in more active lifestyle habits, at least 30 minutes per day, take a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and go for check-ups once a year,” she added. Breast cancer remains one of the commonest cancers affecting women all over the world, including Rwanda, and it is the second leading cause of death in women, after cervical cancer. According to sources from Rwanda Biomedical Center, annually there are around 550 cases of breast cancer patients who seek treatment. Among them only 30 per cent are seeking medication while at an early stage, while the remaining cases seek treatment when the condition is in advanced stages. About Park Inn Located 2.5 kms from Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial, Park Inn by Radisson hotel, is located in Kiyovu and offers rooms with free WiFi. Among the various facilities at the hotel are a garden, a terrace, a bar, a restaurant, and an outdoor pool. All guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV and a fridge. Rooms are complete with a private bathroom equipped with a bidet, while selected rooms have a seating area. A Continental or Full English/Irish breakfast is available every morning at the hotel. Kigali Centenary Park is 5 kms from the hotel.
