Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Pty) Ltd (Bakwena) in partnership with PinkDrive and the North West & Gauteng Departments of Health, held another successful annual breast, testicular and prostate cancer campaign during the month of August for Women’s Month.
PinkDrive,South Africa’s best-loved Breast Cancer Community Carer, is the indispensable, tangible breast cancer Non-Profit Company (NPC), powering South Africa’s mobile Women’s Health Mammography and Gynaecology Units. This collaboration between Bakwena, PinkDrive and the Department of Health, helped to screen, educate and raise awareness with the message that early detection will help prolong a life.
Charmaine van Wyk, public relations manager at Bakwena, says the first phase of the campaign kicked off in Majakaneng and Bapong during the week 13 to 17 August where 414 patients were examined and educated about breast, prostate and testicular cancer. The team also carried out 77 PSA (ProstateSpecific Antigen) tests on men over the age of 40 and mammograms on 33 patients, who were either older than 40 or had lumps identified.
The second phase of the campaign took place in Hammanskraal from the 26 to the 31 August where 638 patients were examined and educated and another 142 PSA tests were carried out as well as 25 mammograms.
In conjunction with the campaigns, 7015 children from the surrounding schools from grade 7 to 11 were educated on breast, testicular and prostate cancer and what signs and symptoms to look out for.
Van Wyk says: “as a socially responsible company this campaign forms part of our extensive social development programme whereby we contribute to the welfare of communities along the Bakwena N1N4 route”.
It is crucial to educate our communities that early detection can help prolong a life. Bakwena remains committed to improving the lives of those residing along the N1N4 route.
