Detect breast cancer at an early age

The appeal was made on Saturday by Melissa Roberts, general manager of Pink Hibiscus Health Specialists which held screenings at its facility at 5 Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook.

“Forty five patients were diagnosed with breast cancer so far this year, seven were annual patients and one of these seven patients was twenty two years of age,” Roberts told Newsday.

There is a myth which many people believe that once you are diagnosed with breast cancer you will die.

“There is a 98 percent chance of survival once you detect the cancer early,” Roberts assured, again stating that in order to detect the cancer at an early stage, women should not wait till they are age 40 to get a mammogram done.

Many women defer the screenings due to the fear of pain but at this clinic the screening is not painful. Jyoti Deonarine, the mammographer stated, “I usually tell the patients they are coming for breast photography.” This clinic being the most advanced in technology in Trinidad and Tobago uses digital mammograms as opposed to the analog (film) mammograms.

The digital mammogram is quite similar to an X-ray, not much compression is used resulting in a pain free experience.

Pink Hibiscus Health Specialists together with Yoplait hosted comprehensive breast screenings at Pink Hibiscus Clinic, last Saturday, to bring awareness to the public about the fight against breast cancer.

Both organisations held a campaign in October, which was Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year, during which information on breast cancer was disseminated and 20 women were chosen and scheduled to receive the breast screenings.