Breast Cancer Awareness Month: A Positive Example

Taken from Jamaica Cancer Society 

Every October is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this is the month when fundraising events for Breast Cancer research is done and everyone talks about Breast Cancer.

It’s one of my favourite months.

Jamaica does a wonderful job at promoting Breast Cancer Awareness during October, all over the media you see mammograms, 5k’s and self breast examination being advertised and spoken about. Breast Cancer is the number 1 cancer affecting females in our country and it makes sense that we would put so much light on it.

Each of us knows someone or of someone who has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Some of us may even be survivors. This is why awareness should not just stop in October. We have started a big conversation on non- communicable diseases and cancer is a major one that needs a lot of attention. The way we speak about Breast Cancer is an example of how we should speak about other cancers that are common in Jamaica such as prostate and colon cancer.

In October, the country is a sea of pink, everyone is wearing their pins and so much support is given to the Jamaica Cancer Society by public sector, private sector and schools. It really is a fantastic sight. Everyone is talking about screening and getting treatment, you can’t open a social media app without seeing something about Breast Cancer Awareness.

We must not only remember about screening and self checks (for both men and women) during October. This is an illness that has affected many persons in Jamaica and still continues to be detected too late too often. I hope that this October leaves an impression that lasts beyond the month.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is done well here in Jamaica. It serves as an example of how we should talk about other major cancers that affect our population. And while we look forward to the events and fundraising done throughout the month ,we must always be aware of the impact of this cancer on Jamaica.

Samantha C. Johnson