UK CHARITY LAUNCHES TO HELP BREAST CANCER SUFFERERS IN POVERTY STRICKEN COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GLOBE
- Breast Cancer Support will provide education, treatment, and emotional support.
Immediate Release: The first UK-based breast cancer charity aimed at raising awareness and providing support to breast cancer patients in developing countries launched this month. A group of UK businessman have launched a breast cancer charity to provide desperately needed support to women and men suffering from breast cancer in poverty stricken communities across the globe.
Breast cancer is an increasing problem in developing countries, with 53% of diagnosed cases occurring in less developed parts of the world. There are less breast cancer survivors in Africa and Asia compared to North America and Europe, and almost non-existent services providing financial or emotional support to sufferers.
So Breast Cancer Support has been formed to help make medicine, and access to medical professionals and equipment, readily available in communities throughout Africa, Asia, Middle East and Europe.
One of the Founding members Ammaan Khan came up with idea of Breast Cancer Support whilst working on a number of charity projects in deprived areas across Asia and Africa, when he realized just how big an issue breast cancer was whilst speaking to a number of medical professionals.
He found a distinct lack of understanding and knowledge about breast cancer amongst women, and a reluctance to seek help or advice due to the taboo nature of the problem within certain cultures. Doctors would only be aware of any presence of cancer at such a late stage when there generally was nothing that could be done, and so levels of mortality were extremely high.
He says: “I believe that it is a fundamental right for anyone suffering in pain or discomfort to have access to medical advice and treatment, and seeing just how many women are dying unnecessarily in poorer communities is what drove me to set up the charity.
“Through our programmes and network of trained professional nurses, therapists, counsellors and advisers, we will educate women and men about breast cancer and highlight how to spot symptoms and to seek help to increase chance of survival. We will provide medicines and doctors as well as emotional and financial support to women and men diagnosed with the disease.
“Our aim is to reduce breast cancer mortality worldwide”.
DR Shasta Nawaz, “In some areas, whole communities don’t even know what breast cancer is, and so mortality rates are incredibly high, with statistics largely inaccurate. Some breast cancer patients prefer to suffer in pain then get checked, as they feel embarrassed. We first have to educate the women to explain there is no shame in getting themselves screened and checked.”
The charity gives donors the chance to contribute directly to the countries that need it, mainly across Africa and Asia, meaning they can help save individual lives and, on a larger scale, help entire families and communities.
For more information on the work that Breast Cancer Support is current doing across the world, and to learn how you can get involved, or to make a Breast Cancer Donation, please visit www.breastcancersupport.org.uk
