Bearing arms against Breast Cancer

The month of October is universally recognised as the breast cancer awareness month, and rightly so – one in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. When I think of what that means regarding the women in my life, I am shaken (Breast cancer is the 29th cause of deaths in Rwanda). Breast cancer is still viewed as a scourge of the West even though the incidence of breast cancer is increasing exponentially in the developing world. In fact, even though breast cancer incidence and mortality are on a 50 per cent ascent worldwide (between 2002 and 2020), the highest rates occur in developing countries owing to the lifestyles in poorer nations that are increasingly incorporating risk factors common in industrialized nations such as weight gain, delayed childbearing and even alcohol consumption. At the core of addressing this growing problem is the critical role awareness campaigns can play in enlightening the populace about the benefits of early detection. 56 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in developing nations will succumb to it – in stark contrast to the 24 per cent in the developed world where awareness has been a priority since the early 80s. One of the problems is that women don’t go for regular checkups or seek treatment as they don’t know where to find it, and unfortunately, do not realise the severity of their conditions until it is too late. If advanced-stage cancers could be down-staged by early detection, thousands of lives could be saved. The sad reality is that breast cancer appears to be an unforeseen health priority in most countries this side of the equator. Rwanda is taking its own baby steps: even though there isn’t a single oncologist surterre, a state-of-the-art cancer center was set up in Butaro (the first rural center in East Africa) to combat cancer and increase awareness. As we curb the incidence of malaria and HIV/AIDS, foresighted measures to fight breast cancer are in order. Strong policies directed towards creating established health-system responses will prevent unnecessary deaths down the road (even though they may appear to put our health system under strain as complex priorities have to be balanced). One example is research relationships with institutions in developed nations; also, opportunity lies in the extensive health care services in the fight against HIV/AIDS – people who regularly visit to get ARVs or be tested could be given complimentary mammograms and reading materials to increase awareness. However, improved breast cancer treatment will have to be preceded by transformations in attitude – attitudes that will empower women to take preventive measures, seek treatment, and enjoy support from their community. As we tackle poverty and gender inequality, special attention has to be paid to breast cancer as the impact of cancer stretches beyond the individual, to the threads of the social fabric. Play your part in securing the health future of your sisters, mothers and wives and join or donate to the Breast Cancer Initiative of Rwanda (http://www.breastcancerafrica.org/). Also participate in the ‘Ulinzi Walk 2012 for Breast Cancer Awareness’ on October 28th. For more details check out: http://www.ulinziwalk.org/