CHURCHES JOIN CANCER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

This October like every, the world observes breast cancer awareness month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer many forget to take the steps to go for screening which is usually free to all public in October. It is for this same reason that religious centers have stepped up in awareness creation.

Statistics from the medical desk reveal that approximately 82,000 Kenyans are diagnosed with cancer every year. This alarming rate of cancer patients has coerced churches to initiate programs during their services and sessions to incorporate awareness to its congregation. It should be noted that most affected people are from urban centers and thus there should be a cause to worry on the urban lifestyle of people in this 21^st century.

Speaking to KNA in his church premise, Reverend Peter Mbugua of Christian Joy Fellowship in Embakasi said that the initiative by religious centers comes at a time when people especially in urban places live in dangerous lifestyles that go along way in compromising their health at the expense of technology. He said that this luxurious way of living has doubled the chances of many people being victims of the malady.

He also observed that the food that most urban people consume is never a balanced diet but rather full of junks and fast foods like French fries. This he explained was the reason why most urbanized children are obese, overweight and not of good health. he said that while expressing concerns that nowadays cancer patient includes both young and old, male and female and even infants and toddlers all alike.

Mr. Mbugua pointed out that the ministry of health in conjunction with churches came up in partnership to help increase the awareness of the monster disease that could soon be a national pandemic. He referred to churches as the best avenues to communicate the message to the community since the members of the church are well networked and they represent different people in the societal stratum. The message from the clergy he affirmed could be well relayed to the society from the church goers.

He asserted that the initiative was to honor those who have lost their lives, to give strength to those who carry on with the fight and to pledge to educate each other and their loved ones about the tragic disease. It is encouraging to note that the government is making all efforts to sensitize and inform all community members on the cancer menace. Everyone has been urged to join hands in efforts to overcome the killer disease cancer.

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