First Lady unveils “Avenue of Hope” in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the dreaded disease. Here in Guyana, to show support for the fight against breast cancer, First Lady Arya Ali on Thursday unveiled a huge pink arch – the “Avenue of Hope” – at the intersection of Main and New Market Streets, Georgetown.

This was part of the initiatives under the “One Guyana” project which seek to promote unity among Guyanese. During a simple ceremony, the First Lady reiterated the importance of early detection.
Ali, who was dressed in pink, shared that statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that breast cancer was the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. She said that the WHO estimated that the survival rate for early (stage 1) breast cancer has risen dramatically over the past decades, and was now 80-90 per cent in many high-income countries.
She, however, pointed out that breast cancer statistics remain grim worldwide. For example, she noted that in 2018 nearly two million women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than half a million of them died from the disease. She stressed that a cause for worry was the fact that more than half of the women who die from breast cancer lived in poor or developing countries.

“This draws attention to access to health services and quality of care. It is this disparity that international financial institutions must address when programming resources for developing countries. Though tremendous strides have been made in research and treatment, we are still nowhere close to finding a cure. The single most effective tool in the fight against breast cancer remains early detection,” Ali told those gathered.
According to the First Lady, it is for this reason that our collective efforts are so important in creating that level of awareness and moving women, policymakers, and health care professionals to action. She stressed that we must have a proactive, consistent education programme, supported by strong screening programmes.
Ali added that in Guyana and around the world many mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers were lost to breast cancer. In this regard, she declared, “We must take strength from those among us who, through determination, courage, pain and faith, have survived. It is your stories that must inspire us, it is your stories that create hope and lift up spirits, and we must not be afraid to share those stories.”
During the symbolic unveiling of the “Avenue of Hope”, Ali reminded the audience of mostly women that Guyanese women were great whether they were teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, or stay-at-home moms.
“As a young mother, and like every other mother, we have a duty to be responsible, and part of that responsibility is to ensure screening becomes part of our health check routine. As resources become available and our country moves to a better financial position, support for screening of every woman at the age of 40 and above on a continuous basis should be considered as a preventive and early diagnostic tool in the fight against breast cancer,” the First Lady noted.
The First Lady made a donation to the Guyana Cancer Foundation for 50 women to be tested for breast cancer during this month.
Also speaking at the event was Bibi Saeedah Akhtar Hassan, founder of the Guyana Cancer Foundation. Hassan stressed the need for early detection and reminded that it saved lives.
The Guyana Cancer Foundation is committed to raising funds and providing initiatives to help in the battle against cancer. Its vision is to be the beacon of stopping cancer before it starts through education and support.
The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) focuses on the medically-unserved, low-income and uninsured populations. The organisation also seeks to reintegrate cancer survivors back into society and to enlarge the community’s support system to make strides against cancer for fighters and survivors.
Some of the services offered by the Foundation are clinical breast examinations; cervical cancer/HPV screening; prostate cancer screening; blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol testing; and free counselling and group sessions for cancer survivors and fighters. The organisation’s work is largely supported through donations.
A moment of silence was observed for those who lost their battle with breast cancer. Trees along the avenue were wrapped in pink cloth and breast cancer awareness materials were distributed.