Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally.
According to the World Health Organisation, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and 685,000 of them succumbed to it.
As the breast cancer awareness month drew to a close, Jackline Saleiyan felt that a specific group of women had not yet been reached with information on this scourge.
The founder of A Pack A Month, an organisation that mentors and empowers young women and girls, felt that younger girls had in Kajiado had not been sensitisied about cancer.
She set out to bring a medical camp and awareness campaign to the girls she mentors at the Talanta Social Hall in Ongata Rongai on October 30.
"We sought the help of Equity Afia to bring a campaign to the community and we ended up attracting even more people than we thought," she said.
Both men and women gathered at the venue, curious at first then they began to participate in the medical camp.
Vincent Ayiecha from Equity Afia said that the campaign targeted young girls and young women in the area so they could pass the message on to the rest of the community.
“We hope the girls can pass this information to their mothers, fathers, brothers, and even grandmothers who could not be able to make it here today,” he said.
Judith Kiplimo, one of the young women in attendance, said that she had very little information about breast cancer and she had come to know more.
“I just know that it affects many women but I don’t know how I can prevent myself from getting it. I will also tell my friends and neighbours what I have learned here today,” she said.
Ayiecha said that it was important for young girls to know about breast cancer because it is very common for the cancer to be hereditary.
"If your grandmother and mother both had breast cancer, then it is highly likely that you will also get the same diagnosis. The best thing to do is to be vigilant from early on just in case," he said.
He added that the girls can convince their family members back home to also be vigilant and get regular screening.
The medical camp saw that members of the community got access to various services with doctors and nurses on-site to carry out checkup.
Once they arrived, members of the public got their blood pressure ,weight and height as well as their Body Mass Index (BMI) checked.
Samson Mwambuyu, a doctor with Equity Afia, said that it was important for women to get their weight in check in order to keep their BMI at average.
“Normal BMI is between 18.5 – 25 while abnormal is between 26.5 - 30 which means you are overweight and you need to check on that,” he said.
He advised everyone to avoid eating junk foods that lead to being overweight, to avoid being susceptible to breast cancer.
Apart from watching their weight, women were also advised to keep fit and get as much exercise as possible.
“Don't eat too much junk foods, keep your dieting healthy. Avoid alcohol and smoking so you can live a healthy life and don’t forget to be physically active,” he added.
The girls and women were also sensitized on breast cancer signs to watch out for by conducting self breast examinations at home.
First, Mwambuyu said, you need to place your right hand at the back of your head and use the other to massage your right breast.
“By putting your hand at the back of your head, you will be able to feel your breast, including the breast area near the armpit,” he said.
Then he said to massage the breast area to feel for a hard lump using circular motions, starting from the nipple.
“Your nipple should also be pointing outwards. If you notice your nipple has started to shrivel and go inwards, then you should consult a doctor,” he advised.
This action should be repeated on the other breast as well, making sure to really feel for any lumps that are hard and painless.
He also asked the girls and women to check whether their breasts looked the same, whether one is sagging more than the other or if there are any skin changes to the breast.
“If you notice that the skin on your breasts looks like the peel of an orange, that is it looks like it has many tiny dimples, then you need to see a doctor because the skin on your breasts should be smooth,” said Mwambuyu.
Saleiyan said that the best time to conduct a breast cancer self test exam would be seven days after your period.
“You can do the exam once a month, seven days after your menstrual period because then your body would be less sensitize and back to normal. For older women who are going through menopause, dedicate a month for doing your own test,” she said.
She asked everyone to be very attentive to their bodies in case there is a change in bladder or bowel movements that is not a regular thing, a sore throat and cough that lasts too long, indigestion, and a change in moles or warts on the body.
More signs Mwambuyu asked to be vigilant on were any ulcers or wounds on the breasts that do not heal and discharge from the breasts.
He said that if one is not breastfeeding, there should be no discharge like milk, a watery substance, or blood from their breasts.
Young mothers were encouraged to breastfeed their babies longer, for at least a year, or up to two years if possible to reduce chances of getting breast cancer.
Women and men are encouraged to get screened early for breast cancer to ensure early treatment before it is too late, while those who arrived early had the opportunity to get eye checkups, with Equity Afia giving out free spectacles to residents who needed them.
The girls and women were also given sanitary pads by A Pack A Month, as a way to prevent them from falling prey to men who ask for sex in exchange for pads.
Older women above 40 years are encouraged to get screened for breast cancer every once in a while through getting mammograms.
