Philipsburg:--- The Positive Foundation, in collaboration with the St. Maarten's Nurses Association recently took their breast cancer awareness campaign into several local elementary schools.According to Shelly Alphonso, President of the Positive Foundation, the purpose of these visits was to inform young girls about ways in which they should properly screen their breasts for signs of the disease.
Alphonso said that breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide and because of this it was important to raise awareness amongst all segments of society that early detection remains the best means for success against the illness.
"There is no vaccine against breast cancer and also no way of knowing who will get the disease. We do know that persons who have a history of breast cancer in their families should be start their screenings earlier and may have a higher risk of having breast cancer, but in general all women and young girls should take responsibility for their breast health and learn about breast self examinations," Alphonso said.
Alphonso said that the team had used a tool called the Daisy Wheel, which had been developed by the US based Get In Touch Foundation. On the foundation's website it is stated that it is the aim that this product become a tool used worldwide to educate girls from 5th grade level about breast self exams (bse).
Some six elementary schools were visited throughout the week of November 21-25 and included Leonard Conner School, Oranje School, Marie Genevieve De Weever School, Martin Luther King School, Prins Willem Alexander School and the Ruby Labega School. Students were given demonstrations lasting about an hour in groups of 25-50 and we were also encouraged to actively engage with the tool and also ask questions.Alsphonso said that the feedback from the young students had been positive and that this effort was definitely one which the two foundations would repeat next year.
"It is our aim, as a foundation, to make sure that all women are prepared to fight this disease should they be directly impacted by it. This means that they must first be able to detect if they have it. The Daisy Wheel teaches young girls about how they can detect differences in their breast tissues and what times of the month they should do their personal screenings. We cannot reiterate enough, to young or old, that early detection is the best prevention against death due to breast cancer," Alphonso said.
Also in late October Late October, Mrs. Marcia Holiday- Ravelli, school nurse at the Methodist Agogic Center, presented the Daisy Wheels to over 100 5th and 6th grade students. The daisy wheels were sponsored by the Positive Foundation and NVGEBE."
Alphonso said that other schools who may be interested in having Daisy Wheel demonstrations conducted at their school should contact the foundation at 580-9658.
