Tsakani – Funukukhanya Primary School held a breast cancer awareness talk for its Grade Seven girl learners and invited a health professional to educate them on October 25.
Professional nurse Ella Ngubeni described the disease to the learners as an uncontrolled growth of breast cells with unknown causes.
She highlighted the following as risks for contracting the disease:
• Age: Women aged older than 40 are 99% at risk, with 1% of men at risk.
• Menstruation: When menstruation begins at an early age (between 11 and 12) and extends to late menopause (adults aged 55).
• Reproduction: Women who have never been pregnant and those who had their firstborn aged older than 30.
• Menopause: Women who use hormone therapy after the menopause.
• Lifestyle: Obesity and an unhealthy diet.
• Genetics: The disease can be hereditary.
“Early-stage signs and symptoms can be dictated by a psychical examination or a mammogram. Through physical examination, one can feel a firm or hard lump in the breast, and the nipples might change colour or shape,” Ngubeni said.
She added that one might experience nipple retraction (nipple turning inwards), there may be nipple discharge, a thickening of the nipple, swelling of the breast and breast pains.
Ngubeni demonstrated how to self-examine to find irregularities in the breast area. She encouraged monthly self-examination and said if anyone feels any changes, they should visit health facilities for a mammogram.
She said these are the treatments for the disease:
• Chemotherapy and multi-drug combinations.
• Radiation therapy, which can last up to six weeks.
• A lumpectomy or a mastectomy.
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She concluded, saying cancers often metastasize or spread to other organs or throughout the body.
“Stage IV cancer can be treated by chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. Despite treatment, a patient’s mortality rate can be significantly higher with Stage IV cancer,” she said.
The talk ended with a Q&A session, allowing the learners to seek clarity. School principal Mashudu Maseko expressed gratitude for the health talk, saying it was eye-opening.
“Educating our learners about this disease is crucial because the breast cancer rate continues to grow daily.
“One of my family members had breast cancer, and I saw that breast cancer is not an easy journey to overcome.
“There are many processes to undergo as a form of treatment, and they affect the individual emotionally and physically,” Maseko said.
Maseko added that they are happy that they had a health professional enlighten them about the disease, saying their learners must know about breast cancer because some have begun to grow breasts.
“Our learners also have parents and family members, so information gained from this talk could assist the next person,” she added.
Maseko thanked the school’s health and safety committee for encouraging the initiative.
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