Bedfordview hosts campaign to create breast cancer awareness

The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) believes that creating awareness of cancer is important in the fight against cancer.

HWSETA staff went out to intersections around Bedfordview on October 20 to create awareness about the importance of early detection.

HWSETA is responsible for skills development activities and initiatives in the health, social development and veterinary sectors.

The organisation is one of 21 Setas in the country.

The HWSETA’s head office is situated in Bedfordview.

Elfrieda Tyrer, marketing and communications manager for HWSETA said that apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and HWSETA staff are involved in creating much-needed awareness about the importance of early detection.

According to the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa), breast cancer constitutes at least 25 per cent of all cancers in women and will affect one in 29 South Africans in their lifetime.

“As the Seta that represents the health sector, the awareness of breast cancer and its effects on the country fall squarely within the scope of the HWSETA,” said Elfrieda.

“Most of us, if not all of us, know at least one person who has been affected by breast cancer. That is why such awareness is needed.

On October 20, all HWSETA staff from the head office, as well as the nine provincial offices, donned a pink T-shirt and headed out to main intersections to hand out information pertaining to breast cancer,”she said.