Staff Writer
Cancer Association has offered breast, cervix and prostate cancer education and screening services to inmates and staff prison at Chipinge, Mutare Farm and Remand, Little Kraal, Nyazura and Rusape prisons with support from Delta Corporation.
The campaign started with breast, cervix, and prostate cancer education sessions in a bid to empower the participants before getting screened. Breast education equipped the participants with skills on how to conduct a self-breast examination and what to look out for.
A male prisoner at Mutare farm who had breast examination had a lump. He went for an ultrasound sound in Mutare, and the results were normal, showing gynaecomastia (overdevelopment / enlargement of the breast tissue in men or boys caused by a hormone imbalance).
All breast examinations done to women were normal. One lady from Chipinge prison had precancerous cells and was referred to Chipinge hospital. She was treated with Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP). All prostate cancer screening were normal.
A total of 401 both male and female inmates were screened during the successful outreach program while mobilization was reportedly good in the five prisons. Prison guards and their dependents also benefited from the breast, cervix, and prostate cancer screening.
The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ) is a non-profit making organization formed in 1961 and a registered welfare organization (W/O 63/68) with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.
Cancer survivors and volunteers established CAZ to support each other morally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually after a cancer diagnosis.
From inception, CAZ has continued to grow in providing cancer support services to cancer patients and their families including cancer awareness and screening programs.
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