Herbal and traditional medicine does not cure breast cancer, see a doctor at the earliest and get the best treatment you deserve.

This was the impassioned plea made by breast cancer survivor and champion, Asena Senimoli, while sharing her testimony yesterday during the launch of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Pinktober campaign.

She said there was a concerning tendency where men and women had always opted for other means of treatment that have no tested proof of curing cancer.

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was in denial of the fact that I had cancer,” Ms Senimoli said.

“I asked my medical consultant to sign me out and he did with respect to all that I wanted. He accepted and respected me.

“I wanted traditional and herbal healing and yes, I went out in search of this.

“It even reached a point where my families and relatives when they knew I had cancer they told me not to go to the Hospital.”

She said after two weeks, there was no improvement to her condition so she decided to go back to the hospital for treatment.

“I went for my scan, I underwent a small biopsy and I also asked for a bigger biopsy having my husband standing right beside me.

“The results came out that I was on stage two of breast cancer and it was very aggressive and going into stage three.”

She then made up her mind not to deny the fact that she had cancer.

“I came to CWM, I underwent my first operation in 2012 after that I was involved in another operation.

“It took a while after I had my second operation where they removed all cancerous cells and I am here standing today because I opted for early medical treatment.”

187 cases of breast cancer from Jan 2019 to July 2020

According to data released by the Colonial War Memorial Hospital surgical department yesterday, there were 187 breast cancer cases recorded in Fiji from January 2019 to August 2020.

The data also found that 72 per cent of breast cancer patients were aged between 40 to 70 years old.

Dr Fong sets record straight

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr James Fong said the key was early diagnosis and not high-end stuff.

“Every time we discuss this topic everybody asks where the equipment is, where the radiotherapy centre is and personally it always riles me, but I have cooled down,” Dr Fong said.

“We can bring the high end stuff to Fiji and set up radiotherapy at any day, the problem is, you won’t have the people to access it and live longer because the people are not coming in early enough.”

Edited by Selita Bolanavanua

Feedback: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj