scholarly journals A Pink Wave for Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 124s-124s
Author(s):  
C. Fonseca
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
Screening Strategy ◽  
Breast Cancer Prevention ◽  
Arts And Crafts ◽  
Cancer Awareness ◽  
Less Is More ◽  
Breast Cancer Awareness ◽  
Program Policy

Background and context: Integrated in the Pink October Movement, we decided since 2014 to challenge people and institutions to use the color pink as a way to raise awareness concerning breast cancer prevention. Aim: Raise awareness and reinforce the idea that breast cancer prevention is possible, namely with screening. Strategy/Tactics: We present a list of possibilities to be done individually or in community, indoor or outdoor, in one day or several, with family, friends and colleagues or with the anonymous community. Program/Policy process: We disseminate this idea to all our partners: schools, municipalities, enterprises and, of course, mass media. Between the 15th and 31st October hundreds of institutions join us in this Pink Wave. Outcomes: Each year we raise the number of partners which develop creative and dynamic activities, engaging themselves a high number of participants. Information sessions, awareness workshops, gymnastics challenges, arts and crafts initiatives, call for partnerships throughout the rest of the year and fundraising. All of this empowers community and turns out to be totally impossible to run away from this wave and consequently from the theme of breast cancer prevention. What was learned: First, we learnt that sometimes less is more. We started to do a list of activities and we didn´t offered anything more. And the truth is people didn´t need it because the list was the trigger for their creativity and originality. Secondly, the spiral movement is reinforcement and each year we add new activities that were done successfully in the past by partners. This way people believe is possible and try it also. Finally, it´s very important to listen to the community: which kind of activities they enjoy the most and how can we help them... and of course to share with the community the good results, disseminating the best practices on social and mass media, stressing the idea that without them nothing (or nearly nothing) could be done!

scholarly journals Using Twitter for breast cancer prevention: an analysis of breast cancer awareness month

BMC Cancer ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary Thackeray ◽  
Scott H Burton ◽  
Christophe Giraud-Carrier ◽  
Stephen Rollins ◽  
Catherine R Draper
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
Breast Cancer Prevention ◽  
Cancer Awareness ◽  
Breast Cancer Awareness

The impact of breast cancer awareness and socioeconomic status on willingness to receive breast cancer prevention drugs

2006 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. Fasching ◽  
Gunter von Minckwitz ◽  
Thorsten Fischer ◽  
Manfred Kaufmann ◽  
Beate Schultz-Zehden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
Breast Cancer Prevention ◽  
Cancer Awareness ◽  
Breast Cancer Awareness ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

scholarly journals To Control the Morbidity and Mortality Rate of Breast Cancer Through Increasing Knowledge Capacity

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
Breast Cancer Prevention ◽  
Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Cancer Knowledge ◽  
Cancer Awareness ◽  
Priority List ◽  
Breast Cancer Knowledge

Breast cancer in women is a major health burden both in developed and developing countries. It is the second leading cause of death in women worldwide as well as in Uganda. Recent global cancer statistics shows that global incidence is rising at a faster rate especially in developing countries like Uganda. But still breast cancer is not on the top of the priority list for the policy makers, donors and health professionals. But the prevailing situation can be more devastated if early attention is not given. Breast cancer, the third most frequent cancer of women is preventable through knowledge on breast self-examination. Of the 44% of women diagnosed with breast cancer at the Uganda Cancer Institute, only 22% go for check-up in less than three months. This study explored the effect of breast cancer knowledge on the uptake of breast cancer prevention modalities among women in Kampala region. To concentrate on this fast growing health problem will need to know the overall situation concerning incidence, prevalence, risk group, diagnostic and treatment status survival and mortality rate first to make a comprehensive policy to cope with breast cancer situation in Uganda. To evaluate the knowledge and practices about breast cancer among women, this present study was conducted. Knowledge about sign, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment is quite not good among the women. 21% women have knowledge about performing breast self-exam and 17% have heard about mammography. However, to controlling the morbidity and mortality rate of breast cancer we should increase the level of knowledge and we should take some steps to spread the knowledge and awareness about breast cancer. Methods: A household survey of women in Kampala region was conducted during June, 2016 to August, 2017. This involved studying in-depth using a questionnaire the level of breast cancer knowledge of the respondents. Data was analyzed using logistic regression model. Chi-square test was used to establish relationships between knowledge base factors and the uptake of breast cancer prevention modalities. Conclusion: The women’s level of breast cancer awareness as a primary prevention strategy was found wanting, and requires a boost through community health education. Breast cancer is the top cancer in women worldwide and is increasing particularly in developing countries where the majority of cases are diagnosed in late stages.

scholarly journals Breast Cancer Survivorship in Ghana: Peace and Love Survivors´ Association (PALSA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 179s-179s
Author(s):  
A. Addai ◽  
B.W. Addai
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Cancer Awareness ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
International Airport ◽  
Breast Cancer Awareness ◽  
Program Policy ◽  
Breast Care ◽  
First Time ◽  
To Receive

Background and context: About 10 years ago in Ghana, you couldn´t find a woman to say I had breast cancer, went through the treatment and I am still alive and a survivor now. Today Breast Care International (BCI) has breast cancer (bc) survivors who not only share their stories but show their postmastectomy scars. Aim: To create a community of bc survivors reintegrating into society emotionally, physically, psychologically healed/content and by so doing demystify bc in Ghana. PALSA has over 800 survivors. Strategy/Tactics: 2 years after completion of active treatment, our patients are absorbed into PALSA where they continue to receive counseling and postcancer reviews. Some PALSA members were trained in 2013 by Carries´ Touch from California, USA on how to share their stories, counsel and navigate newly diagnosed bc patients. Program/Policy process: Survivorship is complex. Our survivors need to be filled and content to genuinely impact their audience when they share their stories and navigate bc patients. a) Survivors in our HOPE (Helping Others through Personal Experience) program counsel and walk the treatment journey with newly diagnosed patients. b) Showcasing survivorship with > 300 survivors parade during BCI Ghana walks for the cure. c) Survivors join all BCI outreach programs to share their stories, with postmastectomy survivors boldly showing their external prosthesis and framed photos of their scars. d) 2017 Dress Campaign - 5 bc survivors with pink tailor made clothes shared their stories through art. This year 20 survivors will participate thanks to donation in kind from GTP. e) September 30th 2017, survivors´ children and their mothers danced at the African Regent Hotel and the arrival hall of Kotoka International Airport to usher in the pink month. f) For the first time Kotoka International Airport was decorated in pink for the month of October to celebrate breast cancer awareness. Outcomes: Before the HOPE project PLH had 70% defaulting treatment especially mastectomy, compared with 10% default rate now. More women are ready and eager to be screened because they see and hear women survive bc and mastectomy for years. Flash mobs and the dress campaign are new and fun ways to take breast cancer awareness to the youth. What was learned: Building a strong survivorship program is an important part of life after bc. Not only do we maximize impact in advocacy and awareness creation with survivors, our survivors care/support each other and find a place to heal and integrate in society (either reintegrating or find something new like being used at PLH in HOPE, decorating airports for the pink month). Our survivors are ready and eager to share their stories and help change bc in Ghana in their own unique ways. We just need to create all the different ways they can do this and save as many lives as possible.

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