ENCORE #162! – Breast Cancer: Liberia

From the first moment my wife discovered she had breast cancer in March of 2011, there was a deafening silence from the men I knew. 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…That was four years ago – as time passed, people searching for answers stumbled across my blog and checked out what I had to say. The following entry first appeared in January of 2017.

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

Image: https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5527/10893068965_1d328e8f71_b.jpg