Adequate information needed to fight cancer

by Lebohang Pita
@LeboPita

As part of national cancer week, the Directorate of Health and Wellness at the Tshwane University of Technology's Soshanguve Campus on 4 March held an awareness campaign to make students more aware of the disease, also known as ‘the silent killer’. This campaign also included information sessions about HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).   

“If more information about cancer was available, especially in rural areas and similar to the kind of information available about HIV/AIDS, people would be able to identify some of the warning signs in time and go to a doctor,” said Paul Maraba, a nurse at the Directorate of Health and Wellness. He added that this could also help to establish the prevalence of the disease, which is relatively unknown.

Paul said that it is important that people go for regular check-ups.

Although there are over 200 kinds of cancer, the campaign mainly focused on educating students about breast, cervical and prostate cancer, which are considered the deadliest.

The most common cancer in women is breast and cervical cancer.

Sister Bella Pholo, Health Promoter at the Maria Ronto Clinic in Soshanguve, said it is important for women to regularly examine their breasts and underarms for lumps,  yellow skin, swelling  and pores, that could all be signs of breast cancer. “If it is detected early, there is a greater chance of survival,” she added.

The most common cancer in men is prostate cancer. Bella said it can also be successfully managed if detected early by testing for it.

Paul’s advice to students was, among others, to lead a healthy lifestyle which included exercise, not smoking, avoiding the sun and doing regular self-examinations.

During the campaign, the Department of Health (DoH) offered free HIV/AIDS testing as the disease is proving to spread rapidly among young people.

Jeffrey Makhwiliri, Head of the programme for HIV/AIDS, STIs and Tuberculosis at the DoH’s Tshwane regional office, urged students to get tested as early as possible because knowing one’s status could help one to lead a balanced lifestyle.