Cancer has remained a dominant terminal disease in the world. Anyone who hears the word, cancer, dreads it. Most individuals in the world still see cancer as a death sentence despite advancements in technology in treating the disease.
According to medical news today, cancer is described as a disease that results when cellular changes cause the uncontrolled growth and division of cells. In essence, the cells are supposed to grow and die for new cells to form again. In a situation when cells grow and don’t die and grow uncontrollably, it becomes a problem. There are several types of cancer including brain, mouth, breast, cervical, lung cancer amongst others. The leading cause of cancer in women all over the world, especially in black women, is breast cancer. Breast cancer is majorly aggressive in black women.
In recent studies and observations, more African women are being diagnosed with the dreaded disease. Africa being a third world country with a high increase in poverty and an ever-increasing gap between the rich and the poor has the most breast cancer patients globally. African women diagnosed with breast cancer sell their belongings and also borrow to get treated.
Most African women don’t have access to health insurance and the few who have this access do not get fully covered during treatment by the insurance companies. When an African woman successfully goes through the harsh treatment of breast cancer, she is faced with the financial burden of reintegrating back into society; most times, families and friends turn their backs on providing her with the necessary support after treatment. For instance, a young and well-educated lady like me, who defeated breast cancer twice, started from scratch with barely little or no support from friends and families who were there during treatment. One is expected to magically bounce back to normal life. Hence, I was faced with the mental stress of reintegrating back into society.
According to Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, mental stress is a form of stress that occurs because of how an event in one’s external or internal environment is perceived, resulting in the psychological experience of distress and anxiety. In other words, an event either internal or external can affect the behaviour and psychology of an individual. Amidst stigmatisation, side effects and pain faced by African women, they are still challenged with financial mental stress.
There has been a jamboree of breast cancer awareness among African women but most organisations like some NGOs are silent about life after breast cancer treatment. That’s why you see a lot of breast cancer survivors being depressed after breast cancer treatment. African women are stereotyped to be silent about their problems; hence, the slogan “e go better” is the anthem for survival.
This article is clamouring for a shift in the aims and objectives of stakeholders in breast cancer survivorship in Africa to also put priority on how African women can find their feet again to move past the disease. African women who survived breast cancer should be empowered with skills and provided financial support to reintegrate back into society. The government should embark on programs that will alleviate the poverty level of the women concerned. Philanthropists should not only focus on the sick but also on survivors who recovered from a terminal disease. Above all families and friends should continually support these women even beyond cancer treatment.
In conclusion, mental stress is more pronounced on African women after breast cancer treatment, which can lead to their breakdown and eventually lead to heart attack or suicide attempt. If all stakeholders including the media who play a role in creating breast cancer awareness in Africa can also put a priority on ways to empower these women after treatment, the end result would lead to more women coming out to give hope to those still undergoing treatment.
Breast cancer is not won by one; it is won by a community.
- Abisayo Fakiyesi is a two-time breast cancer survivor based in Lagos
Instagram handle: survivor_iyanu
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