President of the Barbados Cancer Society (BCS) Dr Dorothy Cooke – Johnson is calling on Barbadians to be cancer aware.
She believes that there are too many cancers occurring.
“We have to get the youngsters to use the correct diet, get them to exercise – we want them to take care of themselves and be cancer aware. I think there are too many cancers occurring and really the country only has so much money, so its whether we try to do early prevention, whether we try to deal with those who have cancer or whether we do palliative care – but the three altogether are just almost too much,” she stressed.
“So, if we can get people to prevent cancer that would be big relief from the resources which have to go towards treating, for example terminal care and active treatment.”
Dr Cooke – Johnson, who was speaking to The Barbados Advocate on the sidelines of the Society’s 2016 Car Raffle presentation ceremony, revealed that there are over 100 prostate cancer deaths and about 50 breast cancer deaths annually. As for colon cancer, she reported “I believe there were 60 deaths, that means it is coming up in both because it was down to about 45, so it’s about 30/30 men and women. So, colon cancer is now becoming something to reckon with.”
Founded in 1990, the Barbados Cancer Society’s mission has been first and foremost Prevention and, secondly Early Detection, and Cure.
The BCS President said that Saturday morning clinics which includes PSA testing for men, have been well attended. She also disclosed that they have been conducting Saturday and Sunday ultrasound clinics for breast screening carried out by a specialist from Trinidad.
Continuing its mission in 2017, the Barbados Cancer Society will be launching the booklet “Get to Grips with Cancer”. “We have done a lot of articles on cancer and how to deal with it, recognise it, treat it and interesting facts and figures,” Dr Cooke-Johnson said. (TL)
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