Orange-SL and Thinking Pink Foundation have on Monday October 26, 2020, continued the breast cancer awareness which they had started in Freetown.
During the campaign, staff of Orange had their breasts checked for possible cancer causing infections.
Speaking to pressmen at Orange headquarter, Hill Station in Freetown, Desmond Spaine, Corporate Social Responsibility/ Foundation Manager, Orange-SL, said that that the campaign was not the first time Orange and Thinking Pink Foundation were collaborating, adding that both institutions had worked together at given points over the years.
He commented that Orange-SL has been financing the treatment of breast patients, adding that the awareness raising exercise will help create a platform for “mothers, sisters, and aunts etc, who did not have the opportunity to go to the hospital to do their breasts check”.
He promised that the management of Orange-SL would ensure that its staff would conduct the checks across offices in Freetown and some market places, as a way of raising awareness on cancer.
Public Relations/Corporate Affairs Head, Orange-SL, Annie Wonnie said that the breast cancer check is not only limited to women, but men are also included because they could also develop breast cancer.
Miss Wonnie emphasized that, the money support they are giving to thinking pink will operate not less than 10 women that have lump in their breasts. She added, “We gave them Le 75, 000,000 plus other added things like providing car for them to do their sensitization awareness within Freetown because we are limited with COVID-19.”
Wonnie insisted that early detection of a lump in ones breast would help cure. “That is why we are calling on every Sierra Leonean to check their breasts frequently.”
She predicted that the Cancer awareness efforts of Orange would make great impact on every Sierra Leonean because it will promote an understanding in them of the disease and its accompanying symptoms. She reminded Sierra Leoneans not to only concentrate on COVID-19 forgetting other life-threatening diseases which kill very fast like breast cancer.
The Chief Executive Officer Thinking Pikin Foundation, Cremelda Pratt said that their aim of going to Orange is to create awareness among its staff and engender a positive and healthy workplace. She stated that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and in Sierra Leone. He educated all present that breast cancer not only affects women, but men and girls.
She said that people should learn to be breast aware which means women should be checking their breast 10 days in every month after they would have seen their menstrual circle. She furthered that they have to understand what to look for because the essence of checking the breast is to achieve early detection and cure. “This month has been set aside as breast cancer awareness month from October 1st to 31st and it is celebrated globally. Women have died plenty because of this illness” she said. She applauded Orange for giving them the platform to use their office and for partnering with them. She furthered that although Sierra Leone lacks the infrastructure and the ecology department, “we will continue to make the noise for people to continue getting the awareness”.
By Desmond Tunde Coker
27/10/2020. ISSUE NO: 7938