On Tuesday, over 500 women and men in rural Qwa-Qwa will receive free breast cancer screens, thanks to a partnership between Amalgamated Beverage Industries (CCBSA) and PinkDrive, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Medical professionals staffing mobile mammogram units at the Charles Mopedi Stadium will teach people from Qwa-Qwa how to do breast self-examinations, which have the potential to save their lives.
“Research indicates that the number of South African women who would be diagnosed with breast cancer has escalated over the years,” says CCBSA Director of Corporate Affairs, Tshidi Ramogase. “But, with early detection, chances of survival increase enormously – and that’s why it’s so important to raise awareness of the disease in these rural communities and refer those who need further help to the public health sector.”
While most people are aware of breast cancer, she says many neglect to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.
The CCBSA-sponsored day will see the provision of a mobile quantum clinic staffed by two professional nurses. Having performed a clinical breast examination and educated each patient with regard to breast cancer awareness, each person tested will be given a medical card to be used for future referral.
“As CCBSA, we believe it is our responsibility to ‘give back’ to the communities we do business in; but we can’t do it alone,” she says, referring to the value of forming practical partnerships with local municipalities, the Department of Health and organisations like PinkDrive.
“By working together in this way, we’re able to give hope to women who are affected by cancer, supporting them from the stage of diagnosis right through to ongoing treatment and counselling,” she says. “Not one of us can do it alone; we need to work with each other.”
In addition to cancer testing and awareness, screening for other silent killer diseases as well as weighing of bCCBSAes will be done. Thanks to a partnership between PinkDrive and Dischem, the tests will include blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests.
CCBSA will sponsor a music truck to provide entertainment, soft drinks for volunteers as well as breakfast packs for those who will be tested.
Other partners who’ll be involved on the day include: the Maluti A Phofung Municipality, the Department of Health, CANSA, the Thusanang and Qholaqhwe Advice Centres, as well as the local radio station, Qwa Qwa FM.
