Fighting cancer through education
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an opportune time for the territory to reflect on the importance of education, preventive care and healthy choices in the fight against all forms of the disease.
Breast cancer, which is the most common cancer in women worldwide, can be deadly, but it is typically treatable if caught early. The same can be said for many other forms of the disease, including prostate cancer, the most common form in men.
Though cancer mortality rates are disproportionately high in the Caribbean, the good news is that preventive measures greatly reduce the risks associated with the disease. Regular checkups, for example, can catch many forms of cancer in time for treatment to have a very high probability of success.
Healthy lifestyle choices can also make a big difference: Exercise, nutritious eating and avoiding harmful substances such as tobacco have all been shown to lower the risk of the disease. Thankfully, much work has been done here to educate the community about such issues, and we believe that residents are starting to catch on.
We are pleased, for instance, to see the community’s participation in wellness day activities and similar events that help reduce the risk of contacting disease.
This month will include several activities designed to spread the word about breast cancer, including walks, pink-ribbon campaigns and exercise classes. Similar activities are held during other months to educate men about prostate cancer.
Typically, such initiatives are a team effort among the government, non-profit organisations and the private sector. Particularly notable in recent years has been the territory’s involvement in regional efforts to fight against chronic non-communicable diseases.
We hope all residents will make every effort to take part in the activities this month, and that they will make healthy choices year round.
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