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NMG cancer awareness campaign promises more eye-opening articles
What you need to know:
Originally known as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) in America, the campaign was founded in 1985 as a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries.
Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda will kick off this year’s cancer awareness annual campaign tomorrow.
The campaign that runs for the entire month of October is one way the media group stands in solidarity with both patients and survivors of cancer.
Through their different outlets such as Daily Monitor, Dembe FM, KFM, The East African, Spark TV and NTV, they will publish and broadcast tales of survivors, doctors and counsellors that are aimed at creating awareness about the scourge.
Mr Tony Glencross, the managing director of NMG-Uganda, said the reason the media group supports the campaign is because what happens in the country is important to the company.
“Cancer is real and people are dying. At the moment cancer is one of the two top killers even for those that can be easily detected,” Mr Glencross said.
This year’s campaign is the fourth that NMG-Uganda has championed and the media group will be looking at the importance of counselling after cancer detection as well as early diagnosis.
“Some of the cancers with early detection can be cured. But most people suffer because awareness did not happen,” Mr Glencross added.
Last year, the media group joined hands with different organisations and hospitals to offer consultation and checkups for free, while others were discounted.
Ms Barbra Nyakaana, the officer-in- charge of Corporate Social Responsibility at Monitor Publications Ltd, said they will be working with facilities such as UMC, Victoria Hospital, both in Bukoto and Entebbe, Alexander Medical Centre and International Hospital, Kampala.
Victoria Hospital will offer free breast cancer screening and consultations while cervical cancer screenings will be done at a 50 per cent discount.
The media group will also be teaming up with Dr Diana Nkesiga. Through her Nkesiga Cancer Foundation, they will host the Royal High Tea fundraising alongside other activations with the Uganda Womens’ Cancer Support Organisation that will be holding a golf tournament, whose proceeds will go towards different cancer causes.
Much as October is globally recognised as the Breast Cancer Awareness month, NMG-Uganda uses the month to create awareness about all cancers.
The campaign
Originally known as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) in America, the campaign was founded in 1985 as a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries.
The aim of the NBCAM from the start has been to promote mammography as the most effective weapon in the fight against breast cancer.