Kelvin residents show their hearts by walking for breast cancer awareness at the HHF fun walk

Kelvin residents joined their residents’ association, and the Breast Health Foundation (BHF), for the breast cancer awareness fun walk held on October 13.

The 3.48km walk was the community’s way of joining hands this Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) in support of their neighbours and friends who have either survived – or are healing from – breast cancer.

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Kelvin resident, and one of the BHF’s directors, Louise Turner expressed gratitude over the community spirit shown by fellow residents, who braved the scorching weather to support their own.

“We’re one of the few communities in Johannesburg that really stands together as a community,” said Turner. “No one fights alone, and in this community, it really resonates with us.”

Turner, a survivor of breast cancer herself, said that she has been involved in the BHF since 2006, two years after overcoming her breast cancer.

“The foundation started in 2002. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004,” Turner reflected. “I’ve been involved with the BHF for 18 years: it’s been my passion, and I’m very fortunate to have found my purpose in life.”

The event was characterised by an intimate market day setting, with stalls by local entrepreneurs, the Community Policing Forum (CPF), as well as Ralmed, and other medical professionals aligned with spreading awareness over breast cancer. Dr Kat Malherbe was among the experts on breast cancer in attendance. Malherbe was offering free breast assessments and examinations using artificial intelligence (AI) ultrasound.

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“We developed an AI system that’s able to pick up breast cancer on ultrasound,” Malherbe said. “The great thing about using ultrasound is for the younger patients, with dense-type breast tissue, ultrasound makes it easier to evaluate them.”

Malherbe said that there was a growing number of people in their 20s being diagnosed with breast cancer, specifying how it wasn’t just women who suffered from the disease.

“The youngest patient I have ever had was a 10-year-old boy, but it was an exception to the rule. That was very rare, and it’s not something you see, but men also get breast cancer,” said Malherbe. “Most people in South Africa think that breast cancer leads to death, but that’s because of the lack of access to examinations. If it’s picked up early, then there are so many treatments out there.”

Melherbe concluded by urging the importance of awareness over breast cancer, as the current trend portrays a situation where people only begin learning about the disease when it’s already too late to prevent surgery.

“We try and promote breast education drives in schools, so that girls know how to do self-examinations, and know how to check,” said Malherbe. “The problem in our country is that you can pick breast cancer up early if you have access to annual checks like this; but, most patients don’t have access. So, we’re trying to make examinations a lot more accessible by having this system at a lot of rural clinics, district hospitals, and hospitals that don’t have access to breast imaging.”

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