The number of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Dominica may be decreasing and this, according to President of the Dominica Cancer Society, Yvonne Alexander, is because a lot more women are presenting themselves to have a pap smear done.
Alexander, who was a guest on a DBS Radio programme recently, said cancer remains on the front burner of the many challenges that are affecting the Dominican public.
She said the Dominica Cancer Society continues to encourage individuals to develop a culture of doing annual medical examinations.
“Dominica may even be showing a reduction in people being diagnosed with cervical cancer because many more women are availing themselves of the opportunity to have Pap smears,” Alexander stated. “That speaks to the kind of behavior change that we want to see.”
The Cancer Society president cautions the many women who, she says, have not had a Pap smear in 5 to 10 years that this behaviour is “risky business” and encourages them to join the group of women who are making it a habit of having pap smears, even though not every year but at least every other year, based on the advice of their medical practitioner.
There’s still difficulty in reaching the men, Alexander points out. She says when the Cancer Society observes prostate cancer awareness month in September this year, men will be encouraged to get screened for prostate cancer, “because it is still a major concern in Dominica.”
She laments the fact that too many men in the prime of their lives are being diagnosed and sometimes hardly undergo treatment before they succumb.
However, Alexander, herself a cancer survivor, said there are many men who have been treated for prostate cancer and continue to survive.
“Some of these men will tell you they got screened and they were diagnosed early,” she noted.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year, the Dominica Cancer Society’s annual “Walk for Cancer Care” will be replaced with a drive dubbed, “Driving for Cancer Care.”
“So it won’t be a mass gathering of individuals, it will be a drive,” Alexander stated. “This is what we were launching on Tuesday (August 16, 2020), what will replace last year’s walk. We will refer to it as a Drive for Cancer Care.”
Alexander bemoaned the fact that because of the pandemic, the cancer Society will not achieve the “bigger and better things” that they were anticipating this year.
“Unfortunately, we heard about COVID…just what the walk is all about this massive gathering of people. We were in touch with the Health Promotion Unit and they said they just didn’t see it happening,” she explained.
She said the Society will print T-Shirts for the “Driving for Cancer Care” activity which was the brainchild of a board member.
With all the worldwide research and reports on the usefulness of cannabis as a viable treatment for cancer, what is the Dominica Cancer Society’s view on the legalization/decriminalization of cannabis especially for medical and treatment purposes?
Has the Society even bothered to page through some of these medical reports? I know Mrs. Alexander is a police but still, if it saves lives and not even being considered, then what are we really doing? Is this just a farce to get funding for something not being fought seriously? Is Cancer really just a business?
Just a few thoughts as cannabis has been mentioned in recent times. Most recently in the 2020-2021 budget address and in the manifestos of both political parties. although i absolutely DO NOT believe the DLP is considering to take it seriously. Was just another tool to persuade some again. 3rd election now they waving it in front of our faces like carrots.