by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AVON is encouraging the early detection and recognising the signs of breast cancer, among women and men.
The campaign, #breastlove, comes as the globe marks October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“We are committed to making sure that every woman – and man – understands the importance of taking care of their breasts,” explained Bridget Bhengu, Avon Head of Communications at Turkey, Middle East and Africa (TMEA).
“This not only means understanding which symptoms to look out for, but also making sure that they actively look out for these signs by checking their breasts regularly and going for scans,” she added.
Breast cancer is a major concern in this regard, prompting the company to make its Breast Cancer Promise.
The Boob Census launched by Avon globally reveals that as many as 32 percent of women around the world do not get their breasts checked by a medical professional once a year.
Moreover, 23 percent of those who took part in the survey admitted that they may not be able to identify breast cancer symptoms.
This is all the more concerning, given that the National Cancer Registry estimates that one in 26 South African women are at risk of developing the disease.
Feel the #breastlove aims to put an end to this lack of awareness with a simple message that underscores the importance – and ease – of regular self-examination, which allows for early detection of symptoms and can save lives.
“Self-care is an issue that has come under the spotlight in recent years, and we’re here to point out that breast care is just one more facet of self-care. It takes very little effort to incorporate a breast examination into your regular self-care regime,” Bhengu said.
The platform, avonworldwide.com/booblove, provides a detailed guide to checking one’s breasts, along with a description of warning signs, including nipple crusting, change of colour, change of size or shape, discharge, inversion, lumps and inflammation.
“It has been 30 years since Avon first made a Breast Cancer Promise.
“We are very proud of the impact we have made during this time,” Bhengu stated.
In addition to launching an annual breast awareness campaign, Avon has donated to organisations that play a critical role in providing research and support for people affected by and infected with the disease. These include the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Wings of Hope, Journeys and Look Better…Feel Better.
“It is an enormous privilege for us to be able to join these vital organisations in this impactful and important work,” Bhengu said.
Avon has donated US$951 million to breast cancer worldwide.
– CAJ News