With cancer �ignorance isn�t bliss,� warns CAB
Pini Bothoko | Thursday May 11, 2017 15:06
Last year, the Team Chain Ring, an organisation working with the CAB to cycle around the country for cancer testing and awareness, rode 100 kilometres and only tested one person.
The rest preferred to sit and listen to the advice, in the areas where the cycle tour took place.
Yesterday, Team Chain Ring spokesperson, Thabo Okie said many people are uncomfortable and frightened about cancer and prefer not to know they have it.
The organisation and CAB are this year again partnering for the cycle tour, but this time they are aiming for 1,000 kilometres between Kasane and Gaborone, from May 21 to 27.
Dubbed the “Ride for Pink” the tour aims to raise cancer awareness in villages, towns and cities and to encourage testing for possibilities of the disease so that it is detected early, when it is more treatable or manageable.
“People prefer not to know if they have cancer because they are afraid of getting cancer, especially men,” Okie said yesterday.
“It looks like people feel frightened and worried about what will happen to them after being diagnosed with cancer. They worry about the side effects of treatment or whether the treatment will work.”
During last year’s tour, Okie said it became evident that many Batswana were afraid to find out their status with regards to cancer.
“People came in large numbers to listen and be informed about cancer but failed to take a step towards testing because of fear,” he said.
“In last year’s tour, only one person tested while the majority preferred to listen and get more information.
“We have been educating them about common early cancer symptoms and have encouraged them to visit the clinic for screening on a regular basis, but it looks like they are still afraid to do so.”
Okie expressed hope that more people would come forward for testing this year.
The organisers have partnered with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which has been mobilising people ahead of the tour, preparing them along the stops in the planned route.
Okie said the number of cancer cases being recorded in health facilities across the country was increasing at an alarming rate and most of these were received at late stages.
“We would like to ride this 1,000km to raise awareness and encourage people to test and screen for cancer before it’s too late.
We will be testing for all different kinds of cancer and hence we are calling for people to take advantage of this tour,” Okie said.
CAB chairman, Pele Moleta said the tour would benefit people who normally do not visit clinics to get tested for various diseases.
“If we get financial support it will be a bonus. As CAB, our wish is to see more people testing for cancer early and getting treatment.
I would be happy if more than 500 people get tested in this tour,” Moleta said.
Moleta said treatment of cancer is expensive to Government, particularly when the disease is at stage three or four where patients require radiation, which costs between P250,000 and P500,000.