October is a month that is set aside for the awareness of breast cancer. Focusing on the patients of breast cancer, their fight through it and their victory. On the 15th -16th of October, Hope Clinic in partnership with Fiji Cancer Society, Walk on Walk Strong (WOWS) The Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF) and the Golden Oldies carried out an awareness/screening program at the FNPF Plaza.
Within the course of the two days an estimation of 200 people was screened for breast and cervical cancer as well as prostate cancer for males. Most of those that attended were just passing by and others got the news through social media, while many stopped to listen to the awareness speech that each of the organization had to present, hence increasing the screened numbers.
Due to the increase non-communicable diseases in Fiji, the public needs to be better educated on their lifestyle choices and diseases that can develop if their health is not taken care of appropriately. According to Dr Alipate Vakamocea, he states that it will be wise to hold such awareness programs quarterly so that people are continually exposed to the cancer issue throughout the year and not just in October. The Hope Clinic is honored to work with these organizations and look forward to future collaborations.