One Friday evening after church service, Afia, a 37years old beautiful and fair coloured lady approached me and asked for help on a very sensitive issue. She said it has taken her days to come out to discuss the situation with me, owing to its sensitivity and the fact that, although she knew me, we weren’t on such terms.
I opened up and asked her to feel free to discuss the concern. She then looked at me and sighed, after which she gave me one of the most disturbing news ever. Although she had removed a number tumors in her right breast some time back, these tumors had developed again according to medical reports. This time, it has become urgently necessary to remove the affected breast to save her life, a proposal she had earlier on rejected. As at then, Afia, the local hairdresser, needed close to fifty thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc 50,000.00), equivalent to three thousand two hundred and ninty-five US dollars ($ 3295.00), for the surgery. She indicated that, the church had already supported her financially during the treatment phase and couldn’t burden the church again, looking at the amount stated.
As dump founded as I was, I thought to myself, where am I going to find that kind of money from, to support a sister without any hitches. Just then, an idea came to mind to use my wife’s Non-Governmental Organizations platform to support Afia. I asked her to give me some time to discuss the issue with my wife and revert. The following day, I called Afia and broke the good news to her that, we will use a combined initiative to support in raising the funds for her. After securing approval from all partners, we decided to use the NGOs platform and that of the media, to raise the funds.
Just within a short time we were able to raise about one third of the needed funds for Afia’s surgery. Unfortunately, her situation started deteriorating by the day and she needed money for her day to day medical bills and drugs. We had no option than to dig into the same funds we had accumulated to support her daily medical bills. This affected the fund raising but we didn’t give up on her. We kept pushing, together with other stakeholders, until the tumor was finally removed. Sadly after a short while, we were informed that the cancer had spread to her lungs which kept filling up with water, which she has to drain in the hospital all the time and this, unfortunately, took the life of Afia, when we least expected it. We got the sad news of her passing at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.
One thing Afia told us before her demise was that, if she had known that this tumor could frustrate her to this level, she would have agreed for her breast to have been removed at the early stages. The psychological trauma associated with having a part of your body removed could be exasperating. However, doing that at the early stages of a health condition to save a life cannot be underestimated. The need for families, religious institutions and friends to come together to encourage loved ones during such times, is highly important in our digital age.
Speaking on a related issue on the international award winning show, the SHE Show on Ahomka FM and Ocean 1tv, the head of department at the Department of Medical Biochemistry at the University of Cape Coast said, early detection is key to combating breast cancer, especially among Africans. Dr. Akwasi Anyanful further explained that, most Africans resort to self-medication, an action which usually deteriorates the situation. Dr. Anyanful charged all to have their breast screened regularly to enhance early detection and also minimize the spread of a possible tumor if identified. He also cautioned on the choice of food we eat and its impact on the body. The deputy director at the Biomedical and Clinical Research Centre said, the food we eat has great consequences on our health. He encouraged all to eat more of fresh and uncooked food than cooked or processed ones.
This is so sad. Early detection will help and I urge all to take advantage of any free screening, especially in October, to get screened.