UPenn calls for early cancer testing
Brilliant Manje | Monday February 9, 2026 09:46
Speaking at the event, Dr Lynn Schutcher, Chief of the Hematology Oncology Division in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, described Cancer as one of the chronic diseases silently claiming the lives of many people in Botswana. “Cancer is one of the diseases in Botswana that is fast spreading,” Schutcher said. She noted that late detection remains a major challenge.
She urged Batswana to go for cancer screening so that treatment can begin early, significantly improving survival chances.
Schutcher further highlighted the stigma surrounding Cancer, explaining that many patients are often labelled as bewitched once they fall ill under Cancer affliction.
“Because of these beliefs, people delay seeking medical help, and by the time they come to the hospital, the cancer has already spread to advanced stages, making it difficult to treat,” she said.
Adding a deeply personal perspective, Cancer survivor, Nehemiah Hevendon shared his journey following his diagnosis, describing the emotional toll it took on him. “When I was diagnosed, I immediately started preparing for my death,” Hevendon said.
“To me, a cancer diagnosis meant death, and I lost my zeal for life and became depressed because I believed my time was near,” he added.
However, Hevendon emphasised that his story did not end there. He encouraged Batswana and anyone diagnosed with cancer to remain hopeful and to seek professional medical care rather than turning to unverified sources.
“Do not seek help from the streets,” he cautioned. “You should not buy unidentified medicines from anyone. Go to the hospital and use medically prescribed treatment,” he stated.
He explained that his warning comes from personal experience, recounting how a relative who also had cancer did not survive, experiencing kidney failure after using unverified medicine.
Doctors speaking at the event called on Batswana to stand united in the fight against cancer, noting with concern that nearly every weekend a cancer patient is buried in the country.
Schutcher reiterated the importance of early testing, stating that timely diagnosis gives patients a better chance of survival and helps reduce the growing number of cancer-related deaths.
The event served as both a moment of reflection and a call to action, reminding the public that while Cancer may be unique to each patient, the fight against it must be collective.