Men turn pink at breast cancer awareness walk

A GROUP of men slipped on pairs of pink heels over the weekend to walk in Cedar Square, Fourways, Johannesburg, to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The initiative was driven by the Rakgadi Foundation in partnership with the Cancer Association of SA (Cansa) to raise awareness of breast cancer among men and women.

According to health specialist at Cansa, Professor Michael Herbst, more than 10 000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and about 30 women are diagnosed daily.

“Although breast cancer in males is rare but not impossible, it shouldn't be labelled as a ‘women’s disease’; breast cancer has become a condition amongst men,” Herbst said.

Rakgadi Foundation founder and director Semali Moeti said culturally, men were not vocal when it came to discussing certain issues or taboo topics that affected them in an open forum, for fear of being embarrassed or stigmatised.

Examples of such topics included men’s health.

“In a time where male domination persists in society, and many doctrines reinforce the tradition of patriarchy, men usually find themselves being misinformed or not taking the opportunity (if any) to ensure they are informed as far as their financial, physical, and mental state is concerned,” Moeti said.

“In order to build an inclusive society for all, it’s important both men and women are empowered so that each one does not have to go through life alone.”

Brennan Mazwi, one of the participants in the walkathon, said he took part to represent the non-binary and transgender community living with cancer. He added that apart from Covid-19, cancer was one of the biggest health issues in our midst, and awareness still needed to be raised about it.

Herbst said Cansa was restricted in spreading awareness about the different types of cancer during the peak of Covid-19, and that their cancer care homes were unable to include those in the rural areas.

“As the lockdown restrictions eased our services started navigating their way through again and we have managed to have our staff staying at care homes for a month.

“Despite the restrictions on movement in the hard levels of the lockdown we managed to launch our tollfree cancer line which allows anyone who is involved or affected by cancer to receive counselling and advice,” Herbst said.