Surgeon Urges Women To Respond Early
A Colonial War Memorial hospital surgeon Dr Josese Turagava has made a strong appeal to iTaukei women to overcome a killer disease by responding quickly during the early symptoms of breast cancer.
“iTaukei are taking time to convince their mind set to come in early,” said Dr Turagava.
Dr Turagava was speaking on Friday to about 50 guests in a Pinktober fundraising morning tea at the Hard Rock Café in Port Denarau in Nadi.
He said treatment had improved dramatically in the past decade but patients needed to change their perception to overcome cancer.
“Cancer is curable in the early stages before the natural process of the disease in Fiji is that ladies come to us when the lump is really big particular iTaukei ladies,” he said.
“They come to us when they have paralysis when the cancer reaches the bone and they cannot walk, cannot control urine and toilet.
“They want us to do something but it is too late for us to do something. And also when it spreads to the lungs and they cannot breathe.”
He said 600 new cases of cancer were diagnosed annually and around 200 of them were breast cancer.
He said cancer survivors and the Fiji Cancer Society was taking charge to trying to break the taboo of hiding the symptoms from women who discovered early symptoms in the communities.
He said when the cancer was in its infancy stages patients hid it from doctors to get treatment.
“We are glad with the efforts (Fiji) Cancer Society and the survivors that have come through we are able to try to tell the people that we are only effective when you come early,” he said.
He said overseas stage three cancer patients have 98 percent chances of survival after five years.
He said the Indo Fijians and the Chinese community were good because they took decisive, quick action.
“They would sell their house and leave for overseas to get treatment and live for the rest of their lives. iTaukei are taking time to convince their mind set to come in early,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fiji Cancer Society volunteer Pritika Mala thanked Jack’s of Fiji for their donation of $16, 048 collected during the Pinktober morning tea on Friday.
