Adama Team Foundation Hosts Health Workshop for Women with Disabilities on Breast Cancer
By Sorie Sesay
The Adama Team Foundation has held a one-day health workshop aimed at raising awareness about breast cancer among women with disabilities at its office on 68 Bai Burah Road, in the east end of Freetown.
The event formed part of global efforts to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month and was attended by healthcare professionals, disability advocates, and community members.
Head Nurse at the Well Woman Clinic, Adijatu Salam, said the month of October is dedicated to remembering victims of breast cancer, celebrating survivors, and encouraging early detection and treatment. She emphasized that breast cancer awareness should include everyone, including people with disabilities and men, who she noted are also at risk though often diagnosed late.
Madam Salam explained that while not every change in the breast signals cancer, risk factors such as heredity, stress, obesity, and not breastfeeding can increase vulnerability. She further advised against prolonged use of family planning methods without medical supervision and warned that smoking and alcohol consumption could heighten the risk of developing cancer and other diseases.
She encouraged the public to seek medical care when noticing unusual breast symptoms instead of resorting to traditional healers, stressing that “early detection can save lives.”
Representing the Executive Director, Dr. Vandy, former Commissioner for the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Program Manager for the Disability Rights Movement Sierra Leone, Daniel S. Pewa, said the initiative aligns with the President’s inclusion agenda to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in national health programs.
Pewa highlighted that the Adama Team Foundation, which operates in Sierra Leone, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other West African countries, remains committed to promoting healthcare access for underprivileged communities. He reaffirmed the foundation’s mission to ensure that women and girls with disabilities receive equal access to breast cancer information, screening, and treatment.
He added that breast cancer continues to cause numerous deaths across Sierra Leone, urging citizens to seek timely medical attention. Pewa concluded by assuring that the Adama Team Foundation is operational in all 16 districts and remains ready to support anyone in need of healthcare assistance.
