– as Guyana observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Elvin Carl Croker
FIFTY women will receive free mammograms thanks to First Lady Arya Ali. Founder of Guyana Cancer Foundation Bibi Saeedah Aktar Hassan received the donation on Tuesday at a simple ceremony held outside State House on the Main Street avenue, Georgetown.

Mrs Ali reminded the gathering that early testing is important. “So we need to continue our advocacy and mobilise resources to support testing….

“I use this opportunity to recommit my support in the fight against this disease by sponsoring mammograms for another 50 women”, she announced in her brief address to the gathering which included US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch.

The programme held under the theme ‘Brest cancer doesn’t discriminate’ saw Guyana’s First Lady leading a tree-wrapping exercise accompanied by her son Zayd.

The exercise transformed the ambience into a picturesque scene of towering trees decked in pink cloth wrapped around the bark. The shade of pink a symbol of courage, hope, and charity in the fight against breast cancer.

“It is my hope that we continue to stand on the shoulders of those victims and survivors of breast cancer and continue the great work that has started,” Mrs Ali said as she concluded her address.

The activity is held in recognition of October being observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As such, the Office of the First Lady collaborated with Impressions Branding and the Guyana Cancer Foundation to make the venture possible.

The office of the First Lady has so far sponsored mammograms for 100 women.

Also in attendance were Mayor of Georgetown His Worship Pandit Ubraj Narine and other dignitaries.

According to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast. Doctors use a mammogram to look for early signs of breast cancer.

Regular mammograms are the best tests doctors have to find breast cancer early. It can sometimes take up to three years before it can be felt.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) explains that when breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localised stage, five-year relative survival rate is 99 per cent.

In 2020, breast cancer deaths in Guyana reached 96 or 1.34 per cent of total deaths. The age adjusted death rate was 25.5 per 100,000 of the population which ranked Guyana 23 in the world. (Elvin Carl Croker photos)