Supporting Pinktober

IN terms of history, the development of our nation, and how we consolidate our strengths with an eye to the future, this month is quite important for Fiji. Aside from our coming of age as a nation, this month is also set aside to highlight a major health concern.

At this time in 2018, Fiji Cancer Society board member Makrava Wilson highlighted an important point.

Seventy-nine per cent of deaths in the country, he said at the time, were because of non-communicable diseases.

He spoke about a disease that was then ranked the third leading cause of death in the country.

He said breast cancer was the number one killer among women in the country.

This form of cancer, he said, began in the breast tissue and was the second most common type of cancer, mainly affecting women.

The prognosis for stage 4 breast cancer is not good, he pointed out.

The five-year survival rate, he said, was only 16 per cent. Given the high incidence and destructive nature of breast cancer, early prevention and treatment of this disease is a high priority.

We are told there are many triggers of cancer like lifestyle habits, eating habits and so on.

With that in mind, we are encouraged to embrace early detection and early treatment.

Understandably there will be sceptics who may fall back on alternative treatment before they eventually end up in hospital.

This is why we cannot reiterate enough the importance of early detection.

This must be encouraged and raised as a key part of the response to fighting cancer.

The message of Pinktober is an important part of this month. It is never easy to appreciate the sacrifices many people will have to make when someone suffers from cancer. There are people behind the scenes.

They provide a base for patients. They are working hard to ease the suffering of patients, and reassuring them and providing comfort for those who are in palliative care.

Having come back from the brink of death, cancer survivors are embracing major lifestyle changes.

There is added value placed on family time and being positive can make a difference, they say.

Let’s not only float talk of doom and gloom though.

As we have mentioned above, early detection can save lives.

For families, it is a sad experience to see their loved one make the transition from being a lively person to being bedridden and very ill.

This is a worthwhile campaign that deserves attention and acknowledgement, and The Fiji Times has long been a very strong supporter of Pinktober, the work of the Fiji Cancer Society, and of Walk On Walk Strong Kids Fiji (WOWS).

For all those who make an effort to be a part of this worthy cause, you do make a difference. It takes courage to give up your time, money, and effort for something like this, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. To the many patients and their family members, you are all heroes. You give patients hope.

Sometimes we do need to be reminded about the resilience of the human spirit, and the beauty of sharing, and of bringing comfort to a fellow human being. Pinktober is important.