MTN Yellow Ladies Network screens 500 market women for breast cancer

The Yellow Ladies Network, a non-profit organisation made up of female staff of MTN, has organised a free breast cancer screening for 500 women in Accra as part of activities to mark this year's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The programme was used to educate women on maintaining healthy breasts.

Speaking during the programme, MTN Ghana's Chief Finance Officer and Chairperson of the MTN Yellow Ladies Network, Antoinette Kwofie, said the network is extending its activities beyond staff welfare to impact communities through health interventions.

Madam Kwofie said the Yellow Ladies Network was established in 2025 to empower, inspire, and coach women within MTN, but it was not limited to staff; it also reaches out to customers and communities.

She said last year the network organized a fundraising walk and donated the proceeds to the Breast Cancer Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and to Breast Care International.

She said this year's theme focuses on better outcomes through action, hence the decision to take screening to the community, particularly market women who hardly get time to visit hospitals." We thought we would come to the marketplace because as women, we always put ourselves last when it comes to healthcare," she said.

She said the outreach was designed to bring healthcare providers to the women, educate them, share survivors' experiences, teach self-examination and offer free screening.

She said early detection saves lives and the exercise sought to help women know their status and identify lumps that need further checks. No specific target was set, as the aim was to screen as many women as possible.

She said envoys were sent to market queens and beauticians' associations to mobilize participants, with doctors from various hospitals conducting the screening and referring cases that need further attention.

She expressed satisfaction with the turnout, noting that screening started at 8:00 a.m. and women had already formed long queues to be screened, indicating that many had overcome fear.

The President of Breast Care International and CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals, Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addae, who partnered MTN for the exercise, called for increased awareness to reduce fear, stigma and mortality.

She said many people still attribute breast cancer to witchcraft, leading women to prayer camps and delaying treatment.

She disclosed that over 5,000 Ghanaian women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually and over 2,300 die, but early reporting can reduce mortality.

Dr Wiafe Addae said breast cancer is not painful at the early stage, hence the need for monthly self-examination and education.

She said about 60 to 70 per cent of patients are diagnosed at stage three or four cancers, but detection at stages one and two allows for breast-conserving surgery.

She said risk factors include being a woman, family history, late childbirth, excessive alcohol intake, smoking including shisha, skin-lightening products, hair relaxers, lack of exercise and fatty diets.

She cautioned against cosmetic products without English labelling, noting some contain carcinogens, and called for financial support for patients, since screening and biopsy are not covered by health insurance. She proposed enrolling vulnerable breast and prostate cancer patients on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty programme.