The latest statistics of cancer on Sierra Leone in the World Health Organization (WHO) website was conducted in 2014. The statistics revealed that two thousand two hundred (2200) people died of cancer during that year, and 21. 2% of these died of breast cancer.
Meanwhile, among the limited amount of Sierra Leoneans that have survived the wrath of cancer is a 46 year old business woman, Simity K. Modeh.
Simity who survived a breast cancer surgery in 2017, on Tuesday 10th October 2019 told women at the Well Woman Clinic in Freetown that she is a testimony to justify that breast cancer is not a death sentence, and that women should not be afraid of visiting the health centre if they experience any signs and symptoms of such.
In narrating her ordeal, Simity explained that her breast was removed when she contracted the disease, and that she took nine chemotherapies sessions while undergoing surgery at Connaught hospital in Freetown.
“Don’t be afraid of the stigma and lose your life. You cannot be able to stop the stigma, because the stigma will always be there even when you die,” she pointed out.
She continued that her husband left her- “thinking I would not survive the fight against breast cancer.”
Tina Davis, Reproductive consultant at the Well Woman Clinic said there is no specific cause for breast cancer, and that the clinic recorded one thousand plus women that contacted breast cancer in Freetown in 2018.
She added that one of every twelve women tested at the clinic have breast cancer, which is 8.3% of the people tested.
Tina also mentioned that there is a cure for breast cancer if reported at an early stage, and that is why the clinic is conducting a free test for a little over thirty women in Freetown to know their status.
Every year in October, the world raise awareness about breast cancer in a bid to increase attention and support for the consciousness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of the disease.
