A cancer-awareness programme for women was held at the Rylands civic centre, on Wednesday last week.
It was organised by the South African National Zakah Fund (Sanzaf) with involvement by Reach for Recovery, Natural Health Ladies Workshop (NHLW), Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), Rylands Library, Silvertown clinic and Heideveld day hospital.
The day included information, entertainment, treats, and even a fashion show. The women could also have pap smears done and get their blood sugar and blood pressure checked.
“Many of the women we serve are women who serve others and often forget to take care of themselves. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Hence we decided to host this programme, where we invited partners to help us focus on the mind, body and soul,” said Sanzaf CEO Yasmina Francke.
“If you take care of yourself, you can take care of your family and even your community. In this way, we strengthen families and communities. Today, apart from sharing valuable information, we also wanted to make the women feel special.”
Dee Jacobs, from Reach for Recovery, said early detection was vital in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
“We advise women to do self-examination in the shower and to get to know their bodies. Unfortunately, there are still many myths floating around breast cancer and because of this many women wait until it’s too late to reach out for medical help. Lives can be saved if the cancer is detected early,” Ms Jacobs said.
Dr Mariam Navsa spoke about how cancer could affect one’s mental health and the importance of both a healthy mind and body.
Sister Devine English, from Heideveld day hospital, spoke about the importance of a monthly breast self-examination. She also demonstrated how to do one and what symptoms to look out for, including dimpling of the skin, discharge of the nipple, a skin rash and changes to the shape and size of the breasts, among others.
“Early detection is important. Breast cancer can affect women, as well as men,” she said.