“Cancer is a silent killer, every mother and women folk should get screening and know their status,” this was the message delivered by lady Emeline Dadae this morning right after the walk against cancer event organized by the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby.
According to organizing committee of the walkathon, Chief Dr Mathias Sapuri, more than 25,000 new cancer cases recorded every year hence this walkathon is basically to drive awareness, advocating on different cancers and how women folk can be protected.
“Since 2013 we decided to walk to raise awareness to make sure we reduce the burden of women cancer globally,” Dr Sapuri said.
“This walk is to promote and disseminate issue of prevention program for Cervical, Ovarian, Breast and Endometrial cancer which is a very big challenge for us in PNG”
Dr Sapuri said, the statistics continue to rise so they need to spread the message in the community for prevention.
“Screening is a very important part of the program to reduce all forms of cancer in our country. I encourage women and girls to go for regular tests, to pick up cancer early, and be treated earlier for better outcome.”
Lady Emeline Dadae also reiterated on the importance of screening and strongly encouraged mothers and girls to go for screening, because many of them die because they do not go for screening at an early stage.
Dr Sapuri added that many women and girls go to the hospital at stage 3 and 4 which is late and they can’t do much to save their lives hence encouraged for regular screening as prevention is better than curing.
He emphasized that many hospitals offer program to reduce cancer which women and girls would be protected or know their status if they go for screening.
“Without screening you won’t pick up cancer and we don’t know you have cancer until you go for screening,” Dr Sapuri said
Dr Sapuri is a senior Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Pacific International Hospital operated three cancer patients a week, says “we have a cancer crisis in our country,” so to reduce it, he strongly called for screening to pick up earlier and treat earlier.
The walkathon this morning was organized and funded by the Pacific International Hospital to walk and raise awareness on cancer has seen a good turn out and more people were encouraged to join such programs for the good of our women and girls in the country.
