A ‘monster’ that hits the young Fighting cancer [Archives:2003/09/Health]

BY NAJLA TALAL SALIM
MEMBER OF CPHT
4TH YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT.
UNIVERSITY OF ADEN
[email protected]
“The only way to avoid cancer is not to be born”, says the most famous lad who used the rest of his life fighting cancer for the sake of the whole world; Canadian Terry Fox.
He managed to run, with one good leg and one fake, thousands of miles across part of Canada, and collect money to support cancer patients.
After his death an international foundation was established, the Terry Fox Foundation. Terry lost his leg due to an osteosarcoma ; (cancer of the bone), and later died due to a metastasis to the lungs.
This one-legged young man managed to leave an achievement like this behind him. It is quite a challenge to every youth. It’s worth asking yourself ‘what could I do to help?’
Now the the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, at University of Aden has founded a group called the Cancer Patients Help Team. This team came up under the guidance of Cancer Registry Center and is under the management of medical students.
Since the year 2000, CPHT has been able to organize different activities for the sake of combating cancer in the society. So far, most of the activities are in Aden.
Since cancer is a disease whose curability is highly based on early diagnosis, the team has exerted so much efforts in boosting public awareness on this issue. Several sub groups have been created and each group is playing a role:
Educational Troupes
This group is responsible for visiting high schools in Aden and educating the younger generation on risk factors of cancer in relation to lifestyle. Smoking being one of the major contributing factors, it has been given special attention. Lectures on ‘Not starting to smoke is easier than stopping’ have been given and have proved quite effective.
Different healthy ways of passing time have been suggested on open discussions with the high school students so as to avoid the temptations of picking up smoking. Taking the advantage of having some members in Sana’a at the moment, some schools will be visited between the 2nd and 3rd of March where students will be advised on healthy lifestyles.
The Tobacco Combating Team
This group is also converging its efforts towards smoking. The pioneer of the group has dug in to various ways of reducing use of tobacco, as it is the major cause of bronchogenic carcinomas (cancer of the lungs). Researches will be applied on what are the main reasons that make teenagers take up smoking in Aden and how to help young smokiers quit. Lectures on the influence of the media towards smoking have being given.
In the future maybe we shall be in a position to restrict smoking and have No Smoking Zones in public places so as to limit the adverse effects to the smokers only. On the same token, congratulations to Air Yemenia for introducing No Smoking on their flights. Keep it up!
Breast self-exams
In most developed countries every woman examines her breasts every time she takes a bath. In our case this point has been neglected and in most patients breast cancers are noticed when its already too late or when metastasis have been already sent to different parts of the body.
CPHT has made this group where the members will be trained on how to perform self assessment for any breast mass. These students will be expected to pass on this knowledge to the female society and train them on physical examination and advise on seeking medical attention immediately if there is a suspected swelling.
This will improve early medical diagnosis and in turn saving lives of many. The first workshop on ‘Self Assessment for Breast Cancer’ will be held on the 20th of March at faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Aden University.
Psychology of cancer patients
These members are trained on the psychological well being of any cancer patient or a patient with a terminal disease. They are expected to visit the cancer patients and give them hope and encouragement in both spiritual and social aspects. The families of the patients are also advised on how to deal with the patients without stressing them further.
Charity group
This group is responsible for raising money in different ways in order to help patients who cannot afford the medication. Food bazaars have been held where quite a reasonable amount was collected. We also thank the individuals who have come up with handsome donations. May Allah reward you in bounty.
Infancy
This is just briefly the activity of CPHT in its infancy. We do hope to see the group grow and hope that other institutions will come up with similar associations that could help Yemen deal with this monster, cancer, which has claimed lives of many.
It’s a pity that cancer is mostly a disease of the aged in many countries but it is a disease of the active young population in Yemen, therefore there’s no doubt it eventually hurts the economy.
We would appreciate ideas or comments on how we can develop CPHT further. Please contact us as Cancer Registry Centre, P.O.Box 3663 Tel. 02 230 734 Aden Yemen or [email protected].
I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in helping the cancer patients in whichever way, with special regards to the members for their voluntary work whom without their efforts CPHT would not be possible.

——
[archive-e:09-v:2003-y:2003-d:2003-02-03-p:./2003/iss09/health.htm]