Dear Editor,

There have been some very insightful articles in the media recently concerning cancer and the importance of early detection, and I commend the media for carrying these.

Being a survivor is one thing, but losing a loved one, or a young child, can be very painful over the long term. I think just about every family is affected somehow by cancer. I myself lost my beloved brother to colon cancer. I can’t help but think how difficult this must be for many families, especially those cases involving children. The stress, the strain emotionally, the financial demands for treatment and care. I believe many patients die much sooner because they lack information and resources and the family support needed to cope.

I therefore call on all agencies and news outlets, in memory of those we have lost from cancer, to ramp up the public awareness and the importance of living healthy, improving our diets, and exercise. While many cancers cannot be prevented, many can be and we must put the focus there and remain positive with the fight.

We must stress the importance of making early detection a way of life, especially for those in high-risk groups. Although risk is important, I understand that, with breast cancer, most cases cannot be linked to any one particular risk. I’ve also read that prostate and colon cancers, which affect men more, are highly treatable, if caught early. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case as most men don’t get screened early enough. Our Government must invest more in public awareness and education surrounding early detection; this must be an integral part of public health care. We must work to make screening more affordable and accessible to all Jamaicans. Insurance companies must do their part to ensure adequate coverage for detection and cancer care. We cannot look at coverage solely for corporate profits and how it affects the financial bottom line. A healthy society is, after all, more productive and will be more profitable.

I commend the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS) for the work they do, despite the challenges. Although the JCS has facilities for breast cancer screening, we need to increase the numbers of those screened. We also need more information out there about other deadly cancers, especially those that can be treated with early detection. This will not only save lives, but ultimately reduce the financial burden and current demands on our health sector.

Many Jamaicans harbour a fear, or are ignorant about how to get screened and why it is critical. I believe it would all be worth it. I call on the private sector, charity groups, and other service organisations to ramp up their efforts and join forces, where possible, with Government in this area.

Improving public awareness on cancers and early detection must be the strategy and way forward.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com