October is the month dedicated to breast cancer awareness. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining one of my colleagues and one of my bosses to visit Jack’s of PNG warehouse at Hohola, Port Moresby, for a cancer awareness program organized by the PNG Cancer Foundation.
The Foundation regularly coordinates visits by doctors from different medical disciplines to speak on various cancer-related topics at workplaces and community venues. For this particular session, the Pathology team was invited to lead the awareness talks.
The session brought together the warehouse staff for about an hour during their work day. It was a change from us being in the hospital, with each of us speaking on a different topic. My boss presented on cervical cancer while my colleague covered breast cancer, and I discussed men’s cancers and covered several types of cancer in one talk.
What made the session memorable was how interactive it became; what started as PowerPoint presentations turned into back and fort conversations from people who were genuinely curious and eager to learn. According to the Cancer Foundation staff, it was one of the most engaging sessions they’ve had recently. We took the opportunity to educate and dispel common myths about cancer, emphasizing that cancer is largely about risk factors rather than single causes.
Some causes are direct. For example, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection can lead to cervical and oral cancers, and smoking is a proven carcinogen. But most contributors are risk factors, which can be divided into modifiable and non-modifiable ones. While you can’t change factors like age, genetics, or family history, you can reduce modifiable risks such as smoking, diet, alcohol use, and lifestyle habits to lower your overall chance of developing cancer.
We also addressed myths and misunderstandings such as whether certain sanitary pads can cause cancer or whether cancer can spread from one person to another. These are misconceptions that often spread on social media. It reminded us how vital it is for people to hear from qualified medical professionals and reliable information sources. We were joined by the team from Glorious Medical Centre, who provided basic health checks for the staff. It was a productive morning.
This was also a valuable opportunity for us to speak about the role that pathologists play in the diagnosis and management of cancer. We also highlighted available tests plus screening and referral pathways for people who had signs or symptoms suspicious of cancer. For example the PMGH Cancer Clinic provides breast screening services to women: Women can simply walk in on Tuesday mornings with their clinic books, no appointment needed.
Overall, the awareness session was a rewarding experience. It gave us a chance to engage with the public, correct misinformation, share about our work and reinforce that early detection and healthy choices remain our best tools in the fight against cancer.
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