Cancer Foundation wraps up Pinktober campaign

The PNG Cancer Foundation (PNGCF) wrapped up its nationwide month-long Pinktober campaign on women’s health awareness in Lae, Morobe Province, on Thursday 29th October.

The three day program, in partnership with Paradise Foods Ltd (PFL) under the brand Tru Tru Wara Bottled Water, saw the Community Outreach Prevention & Education Program (COPEP) awareness sessions on cancer prevention conducted at several locations from Tuesday 27th to Thursday 29th October. These locations included the Lae Main Market Bus stop, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Laga Industries office and lastly, the Butibam Resource Centre.

Over 800 people actively participated in the workshops.

The PNGCF & PFL team was supported by the Morobe Provincial Health Authority public health team who comprised of Priscilla Kaivavore, Becky Pais (Senior Radiation Therapist) and five other health educators from the National Cancer Treatment Centre (NCTC).

Most of the 184 participants that were present at the cancer awareness workshop at Butibam heard about the awareness via the bmobile sponsored SMS blast. 

Baseline surveys were conducted throughout this program to gauge the knowledge of participants prior to the workshops. 

“It was revealed from these programs that a high number of men and women still had misconceptions about cancer being a women’s disease,” said PNGCF Executive Manager, Priscillar Napoleon, who was on ground at these workshops. 

“Most participants surveyed admitted having learnt at least one new thing about cancer and its risk factors from the awareness and suggested to have more of such programs conducted in their rural communities.”

Throughout the month, Paradise Foods recognised women’s health awareness by putting the pink ribbon on their bottled Tru Tru Wara and coordinated a month long awareness program with the PNGCF.

PFL Brand Manager for Tru Tru Wara, Rebekah Houji, said: “People are hungry for information as this was observed through the many questions being raised by both men and women that attended the programs.

“It was important to activate an awareness program alongside the pink ribbon Tru Tru Wara bottled water as this is one way to get the important message across through community engagement with PFL and bridge the clearly evident information gap.”

Prior to Lae, the PNGCF, through its partnership with PFL under the Tru Tru Wara brand, conducted awareness workshops on cancer prevention in various locations across PNG, including East New Britain, Western Highlands, Central Province and the National Capital District, which had reached over 5,000 people.

(Conducting awareness at the Butibam Resource Centre)

Author: 
Press release