First Lady leads breast cancer awareness drive

Tendai Rupapa

Health Ambassador First Lady Dr Mnangagwa yesterday marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month emphatically, providing free breast and cervical cancer screening services for hundreds of women in Harare and its environs.

The two-day package, which started yesterday and ends in the capital today includes diabetes, hypertension checks, HIV testing and counselling as well as family planning support services.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign held every October to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects 2,3 million women worldwide.

Dr Mnangagwa continues to complement Government efforts in providing quality, affordable and accessible healthcare services to all, this saw her taking her Angel of Hope Foundation’s state-of-the-art mobile facilities to City Sports Centre yesterday. With her ultra-modern and top-notch mobile hospital and clinic, Amai Mnangagwa always goes to the people including those in hard-to-reach areas, to access free breast, cervical and prostate cancer screening services.

Breast cancer affects both men and women. As a motivational factor, the mother of the nation regularly undergoes the screening herself to encourage other women.

It is through her efforts that some women who had never been screened for breast cancer their entire lives now appreciate the benefits of doing so.

Dr Mnangagwa’s interventions largely stem from her deep love for womenfolk and her role as health ambassador which she has fulfilled with distinction.

The First Lady, who regularly says her heart wish growing up was to be a nurse, uses her Angel of Hope Foundation to spread love and hope to deprived communities which she visits with her mobile hospital and clinic to serve the people.

She is indeed touching and saving lives with her mobile hospital which is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment for mammography.

Mrs Rachel Makota, the sister-in-charge at Stoneridge under Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, expressed gratitude to the mother of the nation for her efforts to ease the plight of women countrywide.

“Today we are here under Angel of Hope Foundation where we are screening women for cervical and breast cancer backed by our First Lady who brought her mobile hospital and mobile clinic.

“We are using one mobile hospital for breast cancer screening and the other for cervical cancer. We have other medical personnel who have come here to assist and check hypertension, diabetes and family planning.

“We want to check every woman’s health which is our mother’s wish. She does not want people to die of cancer. Every Thursday, she assists us with her mobile hospital to ensure women do not die because when diagnosed early, one can be treated,” she said.

Beneficiaries of the programme could be seen punching the air with excitement.

Mrs Barbara Mapona (40) of Harare South said: “I thank the First Lady for this programme of assisting women through cervical and breast cancer screening. Being screened helps ensure one is treated early and can look after their family. I thank her for the work that she is doing.”

Gogo Spiwe Mahlangu (87), described the First Lady’s support as the first of its kind and said it was her first time to be screened for cervical and breast cancer.

“I am happy to be here to be screened for cervical and breast cancer for the first time in my life.

“Today I have had the privilege to come and be screened so that I may lead a healthy life. There are some people who are dying of cancer and I am grateful for our mother’s intervention.

“We have been given a good chance to be treated so it’s up to us to take the challenge. As the elderly, we are also grateful to the First Lady who always gives us all we need including food, blankets and clothing,” she said.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs Loveness Mutandwa.

“I am grateful for the programme that our mother has brought to us in our country that is assisting us as women, that if we are diagnosed of the diseases, we are placed on treatment early so that we can fend for our families. A lot is happening here with many people being given pills for other various ailments. We are thankful to our mother for watching over her children,” she said.

Mrs Mutandwa’s views dovetailed with those of Mrs Janet Mutsaru, who described the First Lady’s programme as helpful.

“I feel so delighted with this programme of being checked for breast and cervical cancer. I decided to come along because I was feeling pain in my body that I did not understand. The gratifying part is that the programme is apolitical and our mother is assisting everyone. I implore all women to come along for testing so that they remain healthy enough to take care of their families,” she said.

According to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths after cervical cancer in Zimbabwean women today.

With the increasingly effective detection and treatment of cervical cancer, breast cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in all African women.

In collaboration with personnel from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Mnangagwa regularly conducts weeklong medical outreach programmes across the country’s 10 provinces where she encourages people to be screened for cancer and tested for other non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular challenges.

In July this year, Dr Mnangagwa officially opened the Second Bulawayo Breast Cancer Symposium where she implored people to undergo breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer checks to curb avoidable deaths. – Herald