From the first moment my wife discovered
she had breast cancer, there was a deafening silence from the men I know. Even
ones whose wives, mothers or girlfriends had breast cancer seemed to have
received a gag order from some Central Cancer Command and did little more than
mumble about the experience. Not one to shut up for any known reason, I started
this blog…
Liberia...
The vast majority
of deaths from malignancies occur in sub-Saharan Africa primarily as a result
of lack of public awareness of cancer and how it is diagnosed and treated in the
setting of a severe lack of resources (physical and personnel) to actually
diagnose tumors. To correct this massive health disparity, a plan of action is
required across the continent of Africa to bring diagnostic medicine into the
modern era and connect patients with the care they desperately need. - See more
at: http://www.liberianobserver.com/health/%E2%80%98breast-cancer-curable%E2%80%99
Why should this
matter to you? Why should the matter to me?
I COULD wallow in
guilt. That would be both easy and satisfying! Instead, I’ve decided I’m going
to take a character I’ve created in a science fiction short story, and send him
on a few adventures. Most likely, he’ll be travelling with a hard-thinking
woman who will become his perfect match. They’ve already started out rebuilding
the educational infrastructure of Liberia in the future middle of this century.
I’m thinking the two of them need to make a trip to Liberia. Separately – where
they’ll meet and butt heads.
The driving issue
will be breast cancer education, diagnosis, and treatment in these three West
African countries that hold a special place in my heart. From the sale of the
stories, I’ll donate the money to breast cancer research in those places…
Liberia suffered through
a horrendous time of civil war, starting three years after I left. The First
Liberian Civil War lasted seven years, followed by two years of semi-peace, and
then the Second Liberian Civil which lasted for four more years until the women
of the country told both sides, “Enough is enough. Be done.”
I can only imagine
more than public marches and protests were brought to bear on the men of the
country to quit their war. As a result, a woman was elected president and in
recent history met with Michelle Obama.
As for progress
against breast cancer – well, that’s slow. Most of the country’s infrastructure
had been smashed. Even when I was there, the JFK Medical Center had become run
down. Apparently it was used by both rebel forces and by international medical
personnel during the wars. Of its original four institutions only three remain.
As well, breast
cancer detection and treatment face two main hurdles – the first is awareness.
When we visited, I think it’s safe to say that medical care in the three
countries was roughly equivalent to what we could get in the US in the late
1950s. That include cancer awareness. In the 1950s, cigarette companies touted
the fact that “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette” (http://360jokes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/more-doctors-smoke-camels.jpg)
Breast cancer was spoken of in hushed voices – if it was talked about at all –
because it involved, you know…BREASTS. Despite Howard Hughes, or perhaps
because of him, breasts had become dirty and you certainly didn’t talk about
them in public!
The attitude
toward breasts in Liberia today is similar. But an equally huge issue is
treatment of cancers that people DO have. I have documented in this blog the
cost it took to rid my wife of cancer. I’ve continued to write because despite
the fact that she is five-years-cancer-free, there are countless things she has
to deal with as a result. Even here, the divorce/break up rate among women
diagnosed with breast cancer has never been studied – though one study found
that there was no correlation (https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/91/1/54/2549274/Marital-Stability-After-Breast-Cancer),
it involved a group that may have typically been stable anyway. Clearly more
research is needed so that more effective supports might be put in place. I
cannot imagine that Liberian men whose wives, fiancés, or girlfriends are
diagnosed with breast cancer can find much community support!
At any rate, this
is an area that needs study and support for the men and women involved.
Lastly, the kinds
of treatment we have available here is most likely unavailable to your average
Liberian woman…
Breakthrough,
anyone?
Resource: http://cancer.iaea.org/newsstory.asp?id=184,
http://tlcafrica.com/press_release_liberian_cancer_society_re-activation.htm,
http://www.capitoltimesonline.com/index.php/news/item/1647-breast-cancer-on-the-rise-liberian-women-urged-to-get-screening
