“Become an Agent of Change for Breast Cancer” – Min. Lawrence

– secondary school students educated on importance of early breast cancer detection

– cancer does not discriminate

– screenings and exams should not be taken lightly

DPI, Guyana, Friday, October 19, 2018

Students from several Secondary Schools around Georgetown were this morning educated on the importance of screening and early detection of breast cancer.

The event held at St. Rose’s High School this morning was facilitated by the Diamond-Grove Lions Club in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.

Director of Outreach of the Cancer Institute of Guyana, Dr. Syed Ghazi told the students that cancer does not discriminate.

“When you think that you cannot get that disease when you think you are not the person who will get cancer; it hits you. It doesn’t see colour, creed, race… It hits you when you least expect it,” he said.

Dr. Ghazi emphasised that early detection is key to saving lives.

In her address, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence reiterated Dr. Ghazi’s remarks. She said that unlike other diseases, cancer cannot be seen and may sometimes go undetected as such, screenings and exams should not be taken lightly.

Minister Lawrence called on the students to “become agents of change for breast cancer awareness” and urged them to apply what they learnt from the interaction to facets of their lives.

“Take the messages and the information that you would have heard today and apply it to some aspect of your life and there are many, understanding, caring, educating yourself, taking care of yourself and if possible go on to study medicine so that you can become a champion for those who missed that lump, who missed that secretion, who missed the changes in the size of their breasts,” the Public Health Minister remarked.

Minister Lawrence, a breast cancer survivor herself, told the students that her personal battle with the disease propelled her to ensure proper health facilities are available to every Guyanese.

By: Anara Khan

Images: Jameel Mohamed

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