Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ.
So far this month we have focused on Ministries month and Candidates Lord’s Day as Celebrated by the MCCA, International Day of Older Persons as Celebrated by the United Nations, and Financial Literacy Month as celebrated by The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, along with the other seven territories in the ECCU.
Our focus for today then would be on Breast Cancer Awareness. October is generally celebrated as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” by Countries across the world. Based on an article on the website of the World Health Organization (WHO). This celebration ‘helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care for this disease’. There are over one million new cases of breast cancer and almost half a million deaths from breast Cancer every year according to (IARC Globocan 2008). The article goes on to say that breast Cancer is ‘by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in the developed and developing countries.’
I make two appeals here, to our women in the church and beyond. Your life is valuable. Treasure it! Do this by doing regular checks for breast cancer. This is vitally important especially because it is said, that there is not sufficient knowledge on the causes of breast cancer. Early detection then increases your chances of living longer with the disease. When detected early and adequate curative treatment is administered you can be cured from the disease. If detected too late, however, you can only receive palliative treatment which may only relieve the pains without dealing with the real cause of the disease.
My second appeal is to all of us including men. Let us recognize that cancer is a very serious disease and let us do our best to protect ourselves form losing our lives to breast cancer or any other kind of cancer for that matter. Remember the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is better than a whole pound of cure”.
Breast Cancer is represented by the colour pink. During this month’s celebration, however we offer support for persons who are suffering with or who have lost friends and loved ones to the various kinds of cancers, by wearing the colours that represent the various kinds of cancers. Galatians 6:2 encourages us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Let us remember in our prayers and continue to show our love and support those who are affected in any way by breast cancer or any other kind of cancers.
Love and best wishes to your wonderful family, from my family and myself.
Yours in Christ
Rev. Tyrone Hunkins