Imagine waking up every morning and getting your kids ready for school in pain.

Imagine waking up every morning and getting your kids ready for school in pain.

Imagine carrying a bleeding breast all day and night. Imagine waking up every morning and getting your kids ready for school in pain. Imagine having your husband deserting you because you have been stigmatized as an evil woman for having a well-developed cancerous tumour. 

With all these, Olivia (Mrs) must go to her local market to sell her dried fish ‘Cray fish’ to have any chance of feeding herself or her family everyday seven days a week. The tears she cries everyday are not how she is going to get well, but what would happen to her kids when she is no more.

I met Olivia while carrying out our community Breast Cancer Awareness program last year in rural Nigeria. On first glance she looked really happy and was doing everything she could to sell her fish and not allow customers to walk away knowing her pain. We were shocked after checking her, knowing the pains she must be going through.

The saddest part for us was that we could not do anything for Olivia, but to refer her to the hospital and did our best to get support for her treatment. There are thousands of women like Olivia in Africa. Many are walking around with stage three or four Cancerous tumours.

But there is hope. We are determined to keep raising awareness of early detection of cancerous lumps, while we work towards our long-term aim of having one advance oncology unit in each of the four countries we visit each year. 

We can only do this through your partnership and support. Our next journey starts on the 27^th of July at the London Hyde Park fund raising Picnic towards our trip to Kenya in September.

We are inviting you to join us on Sunday from 2pm to help us raise funds. If you cannot make it, please do a collection at work and send it to us. Cancel Cancer Africa is organised by Good For Africa CIC registered in the UK, keep praying for us. We need your donations.

27 DAYS TO GO! ..............#cancelcancerafrica

 

28 days to Go We need your support!!

A team of volunteers will be going to Kenya in September to help raise awareness on Breast Cancer. To help us fund this trip, we are organising a fund raising picnic. We need your support.

Venue: Serpentine Fields, Hyde Park,
Time: 2pm
Date: 27th July 2014.

For those that can’t make the fund raising picnic, please do a small activity in your place of work or family to help us reach out target, for the Breast Cancer Awareness trip to rural Kenya in September.

Dear friends, note that the venue for the Picnic has been moved to London HYDE PARK. This change was due to the maximum number of people the park could accommodate. Come on show your support.

Show your support, get the T Shirt for the Picnic from the 9^th of July.

Squeezing your nipple to check for discharge can make it worse.

Nipple Discharge: Squeezing your nipple to check for discharge can make it worse.

Nipple discharge is any fluid that comes out of the nipple area in your breast. Sometimes discharge from your nipples is okay and will get better on its own. You are more likely to have nipple discharge as you get older and if you have been pregnant at least once. Nipple discharge is usually not a symptom of breast cancer. But it is important to find out what is causing it and to get treatment.

Here are some reasons for nipple discharge:

• Pregnancy 
• Stopping breastfeeding
• Rubbing on the area from a bra or t-shirt
• Infection  
• Inflammation and clogging of the breast ducts (mammary duct ectasia) 
• Injury to the breast 
• Non-cancerous brain tumours
• Small growth in the breast that is usually not cancer (intraductal papilloma)
• Severe hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) 
• Fibrocystic breast (normal lumpiness in the breast)
• Use of certain medicines, such as birth control pills, cimetidine, methyldopa, metoclopramide, phenothiazines, reserpine, tricyclicantidepressants, or verapamil 
• Use of certain herbs such as anise and fennel 
• Widening of the milk ducts

Sometimes, babies can have nipple discharge. Your doctor or nurse will call this "witch's milk." It is caused by hormones from the mother before birth, and should go away in 2 weeks.

Cancers that can cause nipple discharge are:

• Breast cancer.
• Paget’s disease of the breast (a rare form of breast cancer)

Nipple discharge that is NOT normal is:

• Bloody,
• Comes from only one nipple,
• Comes out on its own without you squeezing or touching your nipple,

Nipple discharge is more likely to be normal if:

• It comes out of both nipples
• Happens when you squeeze your nipples

The colour of the discharge does not tell you whether it is normal or not. The discharge can look milky, clear, yellow, green, or brown. Squeezing your nipple to check for discharge can make it worse. Leaving them alone may make the nipple discharge go away.  

Your doctor or nurse will examine you and ask questions about your symptoms and medical history. Once the cause of your nipple discharge is found, your doctor or nurse can recommend ways to treat it

 

You may:

• Need to change any medicine that caused the discharge
• Have lumps removed
• Have all or some of the breast ducts removed
• Receive creams to treat skin changes around the nipple
• Receive medicines to treat an underlying health condition

If all of your tests are normal, you may not need treatment. You should have another mammogram and physical exam within 1 year.

The most important thing here is to seek medical advice as soon as you notice any changes in your breast. Better to be on the safe side.

Enjoy your day and if you in London on the 27^th of July, join us at Hyde Park for the Cancel cancer Africa fundraising Picnic towards our Kenya Trip; 

Click Email to join us either at the Picnic or Kenya Trip. Make A Difference.

Twitter: #cancelcancerafrica

We are very excited to release our fourth season 2015 Cancel Cancer Africa schedule.

We are very excited to release our fourth season 2015 Cancel Cancer Africa schedule.  

As we prepare for the final two (2) programs of our Third season of Cancel Cancer Africa, Kenya in September and Nigeria in December 2014, we are very excited to release our fourth season 2015 sch

We hope this gives you enough information and time to plan ahead and Join us.


CLICK LINK FOR DATES: http://dronniejshow.wix.com/cancelcancerafrica#!upcoming-dates/cw2j

The heat is on for Africa..

Radiographers embark on charity trip to rural Africa | Society of Radiographers
http://www.sor.org/news/radiographers-embark-charity-trip-rural-africa.

Stop jumping out of a ship that’s going to Africa into a ship that’s travelling to London.

Stop this mentality of “Jumping out of a ship that’s going to Kenya into a ship that’s travelling toLondon”.

I once heard a preacher in Africa say “ people like adding to those that have more than those that don’t”, am not very sure if this is true but sometimes I wonder.

I look around people who volunteer to work with us at Cancel Cancer Africa and am very blessed to have highly motivated people travel to hard communities and give their all.

On the other hand I have noticed so many are looking from afar to see what will happen to our trips some for the right reasons and some not too so. I say this, as I can understand that while some are a bit curious if we actually do what we say we do or if it’s safe to venture these African communities, or it they heard about it just too late, this I fully understand.

But there are those who are waiting for the glory and juicy locations, since I put up our dates for the one day programs in New York, Japan and London next year, we have been having a lot of emails and interest from mostly Africans.

There is a saying in Africa that “You did not eat cassava (Garri) with me, but you feel you deserve to share my cherry top cake?” meaning, when the times are rough we must all pull in together as we continue to work towards the glory days. 

Our trips are not for fun, but for hard work. Our energy and motivation is and always will be to help others, selflessly.

We must develop the attitude of helping others, without expecting a reward this is called a selfless service. Our passion and motivation is not based on how juicy the communities we are going are but how much impact we can make in Africa, to communities that need our service.

I use this medium to advice our youths in Africa, be patient and support activities when they are young and growing, be part of things that are growing without expecting an instant reward or a reward at all in some cases. Stop this mentality of “jumping out of a ship that’s going to Kenya into a ship that’s travelling to London”.

Our 2015/15 schedule for the next few months is Kenya in September for two weeks, Nigeria in December for one week, South Africa in March for two weeks, Ghana in June for two weeks, New York, Japan and London all three one day awareness events to raise funds for our yearly projects. Then we are back to Kenya again.

We are excited about these trips and we thank the Gov of Busia County in Kenya, Cancer Partners UK in London and Pan Ocean in Nigeria for their support.

Have a nice day, and remember, “Whatever you do for others, God will make happen to you”.

Ronnie Jacobs.

To join us email: 

Governor Ojaamong Puts full weight behind Cancel Cancer Africa, Kenya.

Governor Puts full weight behind Cancel Cancer Africa, Kenya.

The Governor of Busia County, Gov Sospeter Ojaamong confirmed his full weight and support behind the Cancel Cancer Africa program scheduled from Busia county, Kenya, 15^th to 27^th September 2015. 

He went on further to state that his government would ensure the welfare and security during the program.

In addition to the positive health programs in Busia, the cancel cancer team, made up of medical volunteers from across the world, will be carrying out breast cancer awareness programs across seven districts.

Gov Sospeter Ojaamong of Busia County expressed his pleasure in this upcoming health program and the work his team are doing to make this program a model for health development in Africa.

Ronnie Jacobs the organiser of Cancel Cancer Africa added, “ We are highly excited by the endorsement and support of the Busia governor. This support gives us the ability to make long term plans and continuous improvements in the health sectors.

For more information or to join us please email or twitter #cancelcancerafrica

African Women..What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer?

What are the symptoms of Breast Cancer?

In its early stages, breast cancer usually has no symptoms. As a tumour develops, you may note the following signs:

• A lump in the breast or underarm that persists after your menstrual cycle; often the first apparent symptom of breast cancer, breast lumps are painless, although some may cause a prickly sensation. Lumps are usually visible on a mammogram long before they can be seen or felt.

• Swelling in the armpit.

• Although lumps are usually painless, pain or tenderness in the breast can be a sign of breast cancer.

• A noticeable flattening or indentation on the breast, which may indicate a tumour that cannot be seen or felt.

• Any change in the size, contour, texture, or temperature of the breast; a reddish, pitted surface like the skin of an orange could be a sign of advanced breast cancer.

• A change in the nipple, such as an indrawn or dimpled look, itching or burning sensation, or ulceration; scaling of the nipple is symptomatic of Paget's disease, a localised cancer.

• Unusual discharge from the nipple that may be clear, bloody, or another colour. It's usually caused by benign conditions but could be due to cancer in some cases.

• A marble-like area under the skin.

• An area that is distinctly different from any other area on either breast.

Follow us on Twitter / Youtube at Cancel Cancer Africa.

Preparations are heating up for the Cancel Cancer Kenya program...

Preparations are heating up for the Cancel Cancer Kenya program scheduled for September 15^th to 27^th 2015 in collaboration with Gov SosPeter Ojaamong the Governor of Busia County, Kenya.

We are proud to welcome volunteers from Cancer Partners UK & Omar Medicals LTD to our trip to Kenya. 

“Having these medical professionals join us is a huge plus and we are very grateful for their support”.

We look forward to saving lives in Busia, Kenya and other African countries together.

Thank you,

Ronnie Jacobs.

NB: Cancel Cancer Africa is holding a lunchtime fundraising picnic at Green Park in London on Sunday 27^th July 2014. For more details please click email.

 

Stages of Breast Cancer you must know!

After breast cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body

The process used to find out whether the cancer has spread within the breast or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:

• Sentinel lymph node biopsy: The removal of the sentinel lymph node during surgery. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor. It is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the tumor. A radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor. The substance or dye flows through the lymph ducts to the lymph nodes. The first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are not found, it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes


• Chest x-ray: An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.


• CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
• Bone scan: A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner.


• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do.
• To be continued...

Join us at Green Park London for the Cancel Cancer Africa Awareness Picnic for Kenya. Sunday 27th of July. For more info please click the email button.

I refuse to accept that 'nothing good comes out of Africa’

I refuse to accept that 'nothing good comes out of Africa’

I sometimes get really discouraged when I get asked the simplest of questions while working in Africa. In these times of the Internet when information is at our fingertips. 

Talking to a Lady from West Africa yesterday who is based in London, she was vehement that there was nothing good to go back to Africa for. Here kids or may I say her young boy was now in secondary school, getting ready for university and her daughter was progressing through school without any hitches.

She went on to talk about how minor deceases were killing people in Africa and even the rich are falling victims. She sighted India as an example, saying that if India had not taking it upon itself to improve her health system, would Africans have had the option of going there for treatments?

Her comments brought back a discussion I had while having tea with some friends at Westfield in Stratford during the week. She had lost a very close friend to Parkinson’s, just a few weeks back and was despondent about the health care her friend received while in Africa.

He was undergoing treatment in London and was well cared for by the system, until the family from Africa felt that he would get a better homecare in Africa and so he was taking back. Well to cut the story short, he died of bedsores complications two years later. At the critical stage the family wanted to bring him back to London, but no airline would take him.

Am sighting these stories to bring out a point, and my point is this, If we all look at the negative things happening in Africa, where do we expect the help or success to come from. 

There are many people and organisations doing great things in Africa, but as we all know, bad news travels faster.

As for us, we travel to African countries doing our best to help educate women to reduce breast cancer deaths. It’s a very hard task because you have to convince the countries you are going to that what you are doing is legitimate and for the benefit of the people. Anytime you approach anyone their first thoughts are, “these people have a hiding agenda”.

You have to go beyond the extra mile to convince the governments who are willing to support or encourage you, but need to be sure you are legal and legit and doing it for the correct purpose, because they too have been burned for too long.

You also need to convince organisations of your legibility and intentions. This is a normal practise for all ventures, but when it comes to Africa, the case of integrity is numero uno. So many non profits are been setup in Africa just to bid for projects and then use a high proportion of the funds for personal projects, so on this note, I do not blame the international organisations for their conceptions.

And finally, we have to convince ourselves of the tasks we are taking on. Against all odds and challenges, we really need to ask ourselves, is it really worth the stress? Is it worth putting our lives at risk every time we step into an unknown territory?

As for me, it is better to stress for something that’s saving lives or stress for money. Africa is our home and we must at all times put back into Africa whatever we have gained, to make it a better place. I refuse to accept ‘that nothing good comes out of Africa’. No I refuse to accept that. It took one man in India ‘Ghandi’ to make a change. Slowly, one step at a time we will make a difference

A manager once told me few years ago that “long lasting success takes a long time to implement”. I feel this is the strategy we are employing. We all cannot just keep looking at the negative things in Africa and shout about them; we need to do one small thing at a time

What are you doing? In Lome there are factories producing something, in Ethiopia there are factories manufacturing something, in the depth of fighting in Congo, we have factories. So we can build from there.

Don’t give up on Africa. You may be comfortable in the western world, but please give back to Africa. Make a difference to just one community and one person each year and you will see the difference you will make

Imagine a rural community in Africa were one hundred people partner with from around the world? Just Imagine. It’s not just about giving money, it about getting your hands dirty and working the problem with them. Enough of just sending out cash with no results or buying expensive items or equipments that won’t last or they can’t use.

Don’t give up on Africa, we won’t. Join us as we make another breast cancer awareness journey to Kenya in September. If you can’t make September click this link for other volunteering projects in Africa.

Don’t give up on Africa. We aren’t.

#cancelcancerafrica

Show your support, send us your pictures with #cancelcancerafrica

Join us on the 27^th of July in Green Park, London for our Breast cancer awareness picnic 

On the 15^th of September 2014, the Cancel cancer team would be heading from different parts of the world to Busia County in Kenya to carry out a two weeks Breast Cancer awareness program. We are all excited and looking forward to doing our bit to help reduce the number of women dying from cancer in Africa.

Show your support, send us your pictures with #cancelcancerafrica and follow us on Twitter and Youtube.

Show your support, send us your pictures with #cancelcancerafrica and follow us on Twitter and Youtube.

To join us please send us a mail by clicking ...