Petra Ibum Adjah: The impact of misguided religious beliefs on cancer mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa
Petra Ibum Adjah, Communications Manager for Pink Africa Foundation (PAF) and Non-Clinical Oncology Patient Navigator, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Breast cancer is not always fatal. Early detection and prompt treatment improve the chances of survival.” – Yours Truly
I finally got to watch the mini-documentary co-produced by BBC News and Channels Television last night, and I think it’s relatable what Abigail Simon-Hart said about losing people after a cancer diagnosis.
It’s even sadder when it’s spouses leaving.
Also, her reaction to the doctor informing her of the diagnosis, albeit surprising, is identical to that of Angelina Jolie, a well-known Hollywood actress.
Angelina had both breasts cut off as a preventative measure since she carries the BRCA1 gene mutation.
She even had her ovaries removed, as the BRCA1 gene mutation poses a risk for both breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Gift Andrew’s story about losing his wife, who refused treatment because of misguided religious beliefs, is I believe, one of the reasons for the increased cancer mortality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With many choosing alternative therapies instead of the personalised treatment plan arranged by their care team, the fight to reduce the mortality rate and/or stamp out breast cancer is an uphill task.
Like Aje Eben MBBS, MBA, FWACS, FMCR said, ‘There are no particular identifiable causes, but there are risk factors associated with the occurrence of malignancy.’
Simply put, no woman or man diagnosed with breast cancer did anything wrong.
You can eat right, work out, and do everything right and still get a breast cancer diagnosis.
For some, Dr. Usman Aliyu‘s assertion that a person’s gender (being female) is the primary risk factor was a fortuitous clarification.
Many thanks to the interviewer, Mercy Frank, and to all contributors. Abigail Simon-Hart, Gift Andrew, Aje Eben MBBS, MBA, FWACS, FMCR, Dr Omolola Salako-The People’s Oncologist, Usman Aliyu for covering the basics in a little over 10 minutes.”
-
ESMO 2024 Congress
September 13-17, 2024
-
ASCO Annual Meeting
May 30 - June 4, 2024
-
Yvonne Award 2024
May 31, 2024
-
OncoThon 2024, Online
Feb. 15, 2024
-
Global Summit on War & Cancer 2023, Online
Dec. 14-16, 2023