Healthy lifestyle can help you win the cancer war

Cansa is mustering its forces with a Prevention Week which will pinpoint the enemies, writes Luyolo Mkentane

A HEALTH campaign aimed at promoting the importance of a healthy lifestyle and cancer screening in the fight against cancer got under way yesterday and will continue until next Thursday.

An initiative of the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa), Cancer Prevention Week is an annual campaign aimed at teaching people about prevention strategies and how they could beat cancer by leading healthy lives.

Cansa provincial health programme manager Liziwe Rwentela said this year‘s theme was “demonstrate your support for the cancer cause”.

Cancer is caused by a factor known as a carcinogen which attacks the DNA and, in the process, causes cell mutations.

Rwentela said communities needed to support people who were affected by cancer because prevention was better than cure and “for us to reach that objective we need volunteers who‘ll assist in this huge task”.

“Every woman older than 30 years should have a pap smear test done to detect early cancer of the cervix.

“Men, from puberty to about 45 years of age, should do testicular self-examination to detect early testicular cancer.”

Men over the age of 45 should visit their doctors regularly who will examine them and “may do a blood test called PSA which is the only blood test to detect cancer of the prostate”.

“No other blood test detects cancer in our bodies except for prostate cancer,” she added.

Rwentela appealed to the public to come forward and assist the organisation in cancer prevention, adding that a volunteer programme was in place at Cansa where people could offer their services in patient care, health programmes and fundraising.

Cansa‘s projects include the Relay for Life, Cuppa for Cansa, Shavathon and Toktokkie.

During the course of the campaign, Rwentela said they would be sharing information with the community. The association would also visit companies to talk to employees on issues in the environment that cause cancer.

She advocated that people live healthy lifestyles by having a well-balanced diet, not smoking or consuming alcohol, and visiting clinics regularly.

According to Cansa‘s research, up to 90 per cent of cancers are caused by environmental factors, she said.

Dr Carl Albrecht, head of research at Cansa, said it was clear that the war on cancer could be won if humans were no longer exposed to environmental carcinogens such as chemicals, viruses, bacteria and UV light, and if they maintained a healthy body weight through a balanced diet and exercise.

Rwentela said: “We are planning a seminar during the second week of August where we will make people aware of environmental heath, as well as woman‘s health.”

People who want to attend or take part can contact health programmes co-ordinators Susan Allers or Max Popo at 041-3735157.

Life