Breast cancer survivors and specialists urge early screening in Ghana

Breast cancer survivor Barbara Dowuona and public health specialist Dr. Wallace Ashitey Odiko-Ollennu have highlighted the significant challenges faced by patients, including fear of diagnosis and misinformation. Speaking on the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s Women’s Voice programme, Dowuona shared her five-year survival journey, emphasizing the difficulty of the disease and urging women to undergo regular screenings.

Dr. Odiko-Ollennu noted that many patients delay seeking medical care due to hospital anxiety, concerns regarding treatment, or a reliance on unscientific remedies. He cited an instance where a patient with “carcinoma in situ”—an early, non-invasive stage of cancer—avoided treatment due to fear. Experts stress the importance of seeking prompt medical attention from qualified professionals when unusual changes are detected to prevent the disease from advancing.