In the month of October, our ERG teams across Africa came together to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month under the theme – early detection saves lives – a reminder that detecting breast cancer early is one of the most important ways to combat the disease.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as Pink October, is an annual global campaign that raises awareness about the impact of breast cancer, its causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The disease is the most common cancer among women worldwide, with research stating that one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life, and one in every thirty-eight women will lose her life to this disease.
As a business that prioritises the health and well-being of its people and is committed to addressing non-occupational diseases that can impact their health, we implemented a range of initiatives to support the personal health of our teams during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and beyond.
At Frontier mine, our medical services team held an awareness event on International Breast Cancer Awareness Day on the 19th of October. 117 women were in attendance and were invited for screening after the event. Screening services are being provided on an ongoing basis throughout the year to support early detection of breast cancer.
Our Lubumbashi team gathered for an informative presentation with Dr Omari Daryl and discussed the causes of breast cancer, its symptoms and how to detect it early. The team also took the opportunity to discuss other cancers that affect women and how best to detect these early.
At Metalkol, the team kicked off breast cancer awareness month with a thrilling soccer game between two Metalkol women’s teams – the Cobalt team and the Copper team – on Saturday, 1 October. The team’s Pink October wrapped up with a gala dinner aimed at celebrating the women on the team and reiterating the messages shared during the month. To reaffirm their commitment to fighting breast cancer, the medical services team conducted a total of 104 screening tests during the month of October and will continue to do so throughout the year.
The Rosebank team had a breast cancer awareness session where breast self-examination techniques were taught by a cancer survivor. The presenter encouraged the team to self-examine for any early signs, as early stage breast cancers are curable.
ERG Africa breast cancer awareness month in numbers:
- 336 women across our sites participating in various events and activities
- 4 awareness events delivered by healthcare professionals
- 4 refresher posters on the causes, risks, prevention and breast cancer self-examination
- 114 women screened across sites
- Ongoing screening and medical support provided throughout the year
