CWSA employees learn more about colon cancer

by Jerry George 06.JUL.07

Employees at the Central Water and Sewerage (CWSA) were the recipients of the first of the revived Corporate Outreach Education Programmes of the SVG Cancer Society.{{more}}

On June 5, employees at the Montrose offices heard from Dr. Jasmine Malcolm on the facts regarding Colon Cancer and how its occurrence is related to diet and family history. The participants were told how to identify the symptoms of the

disease and more importantly what can be done to prevent it.

Dr. Rohan Deshong spoke to the men in the audience about Prostate Cancer which is the second leading cause of death in males in SVG. His presentation covered areas such as the importance of diet and the need for men at forty to pay particular attention to the health of this gland.

He went to great lengths to describe the rectal examination that is the best known method of examining the prostate. He spoke of the fears most men have of the examination contrasting the minor discomfort of having the examination to the loss of the ability to have sex, inability to hold urine and the general loss of quality of life.

On June 7, employees at the Belair offices had the privilege of listening to a Cancer survivor Gloria Williams introduce the function and work of the St. Vincent Cancer Society giving a brief outline of the involvement of the Society and how persons benefit from its existence.

Dr. Malcolm Samuel spoke to the gathering on the issue of Cancer of the Colon which was the area of focus for the Society for the last quarter.

This quarter will focus on one of the leading causes of death in men here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, prostate cancer. Dr. Samuel also spoke to this issue during his presentation.

At both of these sessions, there were lively discussions following the presentations and many myths and old wives tales were exposed and discounted.

The return by the Society to these outreach exercises is in an effort to make practical the Society’s theme for this year: “Protecting and Healing through Education, Care and Support”.

Any business or other enterprise which would like to have its employees exposed to better health education can contact the Cancer Society through its Secretary, Patsy Wyllie who is the Chief Health Educator in the Ministry of Health.

In all, some 80 persons were exposed to the information at the CWSA and at the end Committee member Sylvia Mapp thanked both employees and management for giving the Cancer Society the opportunity to speak with them. She encouraged them to use the information they had received. As a token each one received a pink Cancer Society bracelet.