There are still very few women responding to regulated breast cancer screening procedures, both in Guadeloupe and in communities in the North. But this disease is the number one cause of cancer death in women. They are 200 affected each year, locally.
The organized breast cancer screening awareness campaign continued throughout the month of October. It’s been this way for 28 years.
Read also: Pink October 2022: Talking about a life-saving screening
However, the health organizations of Guadeloupe, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy make a sad and disturbing note: Despite this annual measure called “pink october” (where ” Òktob Wòz In creole), the display numbers don’t sufficiently round out locally.
On these islands, while more than 200 women are affected by the disease each year, only 43.40% were screened in 2021.
The 971 Regional Cancer Screening Coordination Center (CRCDC-971) recorded only 17,527 responses to 50,771 invitations sent to women ages 50 to 74 to get a free mammogram at an accredited radiology center.
The European target for participation in this screening campaign has been set at 70%.
Hence the need to recall the importance of early detection.
Convinced of the benefit of screening and the necessity of applying to it, these are the goals of the messages conveyed by CRCDC-971:
- 9 out of 10 cancers are detected in time.
- Breast cancer screening is free for women aged 50 to 74 every two years.
- Breast compression (the examination method) may be uncomfortable, but it is rarely painful.
- Radiation exposure is minimal and does not pose a health risk
- The inspection supervision by CRCDC-971 is subject to strict quality control carried out by competent staff. When in doubt about the result, users benefit from a second reading that avoids over- or under-diagnosed.
“Sé poukwa fò nou continued good health! (Translation: “This is why we must continue to care about the health of our breasts!”)
These inciting messages are sent home to as many people as possible, during the various events organized in the territory.
This is how a march was organized on Saturday, October 15, in Pointe-Noire, as well as in the sanitary village of Terre-de-Haut, in the morning.
In the coming days, everyone will be able to participate in other meetings:
October 19: “Café Santé”, at Mutuelle de France Unie, on Quai Lefebvre, in Pointe-à-Pitre, from 9:30 a.m.
October 22: Awareness day at the multidisciplinary health center “Les Mouffias” in Boisripeaux in Les Abymes from 8:30 am to 4 pm.
October 22: Healthy Village, in front of Trois-Rivieres Church, from 7 a.m. to 12 noon.
October 23: “March for Life”, in Les Abymes Town Hall, from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
October 31: Open day at the headquarters of the Cancer Control League in Pointois.
October 19: Awareness activities at the three parades organized at the Red Cross in Concordia, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
October 21: Organizing awareness-raising events for the three shows, in Dr. Thibault’s office, in the Cartier d’Orleans, from 9 am to 2 pm.
20 October: Awareness-raising activities at the three shows organized, at the Gustavia Center for Social Medicine and at Ms. Mallet’s office in Saint-Jean, from 9 am to 2 pm.
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For more information on breast cancer screening, contact CRCDC-971, at 0590.38.15.03 or by e-mail, at [email protected]
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