- Ghanaian president John Kufuor has today dedicated city's new hopeXchange Medical Center, a high quality diagnostic and treatment facility with special focus on breast cancer.
During a ceremony, which was held today in capital Accra, Mr Kufuor welcomed a high-profile mission delegation organised and led by Susan G. Komen for Cure (R)'s president and CEO Hala Moddelmog.
He also acknowledged significant role that Komen for the Cure could play in advancing fight against breast cancer in Africa.
Dr Moddelmog was joined by physicians, researchers, advocates, survivors and celebrities, including actress Gabrielle Union, philanthropist Malaak Rock, wife of comedian Chris Rock, and breast cancer survivor and activist Billye Aaron, wife of baseball great Hank Aaron.
Delegation is reportedly spending four meeting-and event-packed days in Africa, where it will wind up this first-ever trip to continent with a stop in Tanzania, to cheer on participants in first Tanzania Race for the Cure(R) organised by Tanzania Breast Cancer Foundation in collaboration with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
"In addition to awareness about early detection, access to a state-of-the-art treatment facility is critical to addressing very high breast cancer mortality rate in Ghana," said Ms Moddelmog.
She added that, "Susan G. Komen for the Cure is deeply committed to supporting hopeXchange Medical Center through collaboration with local and international breast cancer experts, Ghanaian government officials and non-governmental organizations."
HopeXchange Medical Center will offer accessible and affordable breast health services and house an interactive Learning Laboratory of Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI), where doctors and scientists share critical information and offer continuing medical education courses to healthcare Funding by Komen for the Cure's Global Promise Fund will allow for planning and implementation of a regional breast cancer awareness and education campaign, first and most important step in curbing the high breast cancer mortality rate, according to Ms Moddelmog.
She added that mission would also facilitate launch of Ghana Breast Cancer Alliance.
"Doctors, health workers, breast cancer advocates and survivors are key to increasing Ghanaian people's confidence in surviving breast cancer when it is discovered early," she said.
BHGI's mission is to develop, implement and study evidence-based, economically feasible and culturally appropriate guidelines for International Breast Health and Control in low- and middle-income countries. BHGI is co-founded and co-sponsored by Komen and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Nearly 70 percent of women in Ghana diagnosed with breast cancer who seek help have advanced forms of disease, which are harder to treat and survive, reports show.
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