Organisers of PinkaFest hold free breast cancer screening in Chuchuliga
The exercise, held at the Chuchuliga Health Center, brought together dozens of women who received education on the dangers of breast cancer, learned self-breast examination techniques, underwent screening for early symptoms, and were offered voluntary HIV testing.
Organisers of the Pink Festival (PinkaFest), a drink-up event designed to raise awareness about breast cancer and celebrate survivors, have held a free breast cancer screening for residents of Chuchuliga in the Bulisa North District of the Upper East Region.
The exercise, held at the Chuchuliga Health Center on Thursday November 27, brought together dozens of women who received education on the dangers of breast cancer, learned self-breast examination techniques, underwent screening for early symptoms, and were offered voluntary HIV testing.
Mawuli Dzantor, lead organiser of PinkaFest, said the initiative was driven by the increasing number of breast cancer cases and related deaths.
“We planned this event to create breast cancer awareness; it is the first of its kind in Ghana, where we are celebrating a pink festival as part of the activities. We decided to organize a free health screening to get them to understand what it takes to be conscious of their health.”
Salamatu Alokodongo, a midwife at the Chuchuliga Health Center, praised the initiative for drawing strong interest from community members.
“Hardly do you see women come every month to screen their breasts, but with this initiative from PinkaFest, we have seen more than twenty people screen today, even before midday,” She said.
Alokodongo urged women to undergo regular breast cancer screening to ensure early detection and effective treatment.
“Women should take this breast screening seriously. A colleague of mine, who is also a midwife, died from breast cancer because she was hiding it due to stigma. The time she made it known it was too late to save her, once early detection can save lives, women should make use of it.”
She stressed that breast cancer treatment is costly and painful, encouraging residents to stay alert to any changes in their breasts.
Some beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the exercise and commended the organisers, urging the public to take advantage of such screenings.
The Pink Festival will climax on Friday, November 28, at the Legacy Pub in Chuchuliga, and participants are encouraged to dress in pink.
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