Many of us know someone who has been touched by breast cancer, but we also know how far we’ve come in responding to the problem. Education has made all the difference, with early detection and treatment essential to survival and quality of life.
Unfortunately, the story is different for women in Solomon Islands.
Over recent years, our volunteer teams visiting Solomon Islands have been reporting increased numbers of women with advanced breast cancer, with surgery often only useful for making them a little more comfortable in the final stages of their life.
The impact on families and communities is huge. Often a woman’s entire family has to follow her to the hospital to take care of her. They have to leave their home and their community, often travelling great distances from remote islands.
But we know that in Australia and News Zealand this situation is often preventable if cancers are detected early, and medical staff from our partners have been telling us they need more support to prevent women getting to the stage where they need advanced surgery.
Currently there is very little knowledge of breast cancer, and a lot of fear. Often a woman who discovers a lump relies on traditional medicine until it’s too late, or avoids seeking treatment.
That’s why in 2015 we started responding to local needs by introducing breast cancer education to our programs in Solomon Islands that teach both local medical staff and women from communities.
You can educate women and change the future for them and their families. make your festive season donation to our breast cancer education appeal now.
