By Anny OSABUTEY
October is Breast Cancer month and as part of efforts to engage the public about the dangers of the disease and how it can be detected and prevented, a new book by two Ghanaian clinicians is expected to be launched next week.
The book, A Guide to Breast Diseases, is co-authored by two breast cancer advocates Professor Joe-Nat Clegg-Lamptey, a Professor of Surgery at the University of Ghana Medical School and an accomplished author, and Dr. Naa Adorkor Aryeetey, Vice President-elect of the Breast Society of Ghana and Senior Specialist (Oncology and Radiotherapy) at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in females worldwide. It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
With rising life expectancy, changes in diet and lifestyle, and a lack of widespread screening programmes, Africa – including Ghana – is projected to bear the heaviest burden of this disease by 2050, leading to an increase in breast cancer-related mortality.
In Ghana, many women diagnosed with breast cancer present with advanced stages of the disease. Several easily addressable gaps have been identified as contributing to these late presentations.
Lack of awareness consistently emerges in research as a major factor. Another significant cause of advanced disease presentation is delays in recognising breast abnormalities at peripheral healthcare facilities.
Written in simple language, the book addresses various breast abnormalities and provides a comprehensive guide to breast cancer, aiming to demystify the disease and reduce the stigma surrounding its diagnosis. It offers basic information for the general reader, while also providing valuable insights for healthcare practitioners, especially those in training and at the basic healthcare level.
The 50K IN 5 PROJECT
October is breast cancer awareness month. Worldwide, women who have battled breast cancer team up with the rest of the general public to create awareness for the disease and engage in breast cancer advocacy.
The 50K IN 5 PROJECT is an initiative that aims at distributing fifty thousand copies of the book A Guide to Breast Diseases to young Ghanaian women in second cycle and tertiary institutions over 5 years.
Corporate Ghana and individuals are invited to purchase copies of the book, which will be donated on their behalf as part of their corporate social responsibility and their contribution to health promotion in Ghana during the month of October and beyond.
Commitments for yearly donations are encouraged. This will require a portion of your CSR budget committed to averting the inescapable outlook predicted for breast diseases.
The name of the donor will be boldly inscribed in the book in words that are acceptable to the donating company or person. The aim is to create a generation of women who will be educated on breast and its diseases. The snowball effect will improve millions of lives.
Prof. Joe-Nat is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Ghana Medical School and Consultant Surgeon at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. He is a fellow of the following surgical colleges: the Royal College of Surgeons, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, West African College of Surgeons, and the International College of Surgeons.
He has done extensive work in breast cancer research and advocacy in Ghana for the past 25 years, and is recognised internationally as an expert in breast cancer research and management. To date, 56 out of his 110 publications in medical journals are related to breast cancer. He has, thus, given many lectures on breast cancer in Ghana and at many international fora over the years.
For the past 20 years, Prof. Clegg-Lamptey has been a resource person to the Ministry of Health and the National Health Insurance Scheme, assisting in the formulation of policies and treatment guidelines for breast cancer.
Some of his breast cancer-related initiatives in Ghana include the establishment of a survivors’ support group (Reach for Recovery), the Korle Bu Breast multidisciplinary team, the Korle Bu Breast Surgical Unit and the Breast Society of Ghana. Prof. Clegg-Lamptey has trained thousands of doctors and specialists in Ghana over the past 27 years.
He is passionate about addressing the causes of late presentation of breast cancer in Ghana, one of the main reasons for poor treatment outcomes of the condition.
Dr. Aryeetey is a fellow of the Ghana College of physicians and currently works as a Snr. Specialist (Oncology and radiotherapy) at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital with interest in breast cancer, Genito-urinary cancers, GI cancers and Sarcoma.
She is part of the Oncology and radiotherapy Faculty of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons that trains resident doctors, and an adjunct lecturer of the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives Faculty of Oncology that trains specialist oncology nurses.
Dr. Aryeetey is a member of several local and international cancer societies, including the European Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology and the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer.
She is a member of Breast Multidisciplinary Tumor Board of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, African Cancer Coalition that Harmonises Cancer Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa, and the vice president-elect of the Breast Society of Ghana.
She is passionate about breast cancer management, especially in young women. She has been involved in breast advocacy for over 14 years, having worked with several NGOs – including Reach for Recovery Ghana and Run for a Cure ,Ghana.
She is passionate about education of the Ghanaian community on breast cancer and has done so via television, radio and print. Dr. Aryeetey believes that the contribution of women to the economy – family and national – and the impact of death of mothers on the family unit demands action against breast cancer.
