Lacy Hubbard, Founding President and CEO of Elekta Foundation, shared on LinkedIn:
“What happens after you screen nearly half a million women?
You see very clearly where the next gap is. Through our cervical cancer screening program in Rwanda, we have learned that screening and treatment capacity must grow together.
Nurses and midwives are already trained to treat eligible precancerous lesions using thermal ablation near where women live. But for women whose lesions are not suitable for thermal ablation, LEEP is the next important treatment option.
Our goal is to build sufficient local LEEP capacity so that women can receive the treatment they need without having to travel far from home.
Last week in Rwamagana District, we took a big step forward.
Gynecologic Cancer Research Foundation brought together an incredible team of physicians from the U.S., Turkey, and Kenya who volunteered their time and expertise for our first LEEP camp.
In 5 days:
- 120 LEEP procedures were performed
- 12 Rwandan clinicians received hands-on training and mentorship
- Screening and treatment must go hand in hand. When we identify a woman who needs care, she must have a pathway to receive it. Screening without access to treatment is not acceptable.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Andrew Goldstein and Dr. Gail Goldstein, not only for bringing together this incredible team, but also for generously providing the much-needed equipment and supplies that will make our program even stronger.
A big thank you to our partners at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) and Rwanda Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RSOG) for working together to make this first LEEP camp a success.
This is how we turn screening into prevention and build a sustainable pathway to Eliminate Cervical Cancer.”
Other articles about Cervical Cancer on OncoDaily.
