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Lorna Wainwright, breast cancer survivor and Rastafarian matriarch, urges women to be vigilant about the health of their breasts, stressing the importance of detecting symptoms early to beat the disease.
Wainwright, who is on the road to recovery after enduring six weeks of chemotherapy and four weeks of radiation therapy to fight the leading cancer in Jamaican women, which kills around 300 per year, said The Sunday Gleaner that it is crucial for women to continue to make constant checks.
“Sisters, check your breasts. When you bathe, feel your breasts. If you even get a pimple, take it seriously, ”Wainwright said in an interview to mark October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
A central figure in the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica for over 40 years, Wainwright worked closely with Rita Marley and led the operations of the Tuff Gong recording studio and the Bell Road record distribution company in Kingston during most of his working life.
Wainwright maintained a holistic lifestyle and believed she would be the last to contract the deadly disease.
Unfortunately, breast cancer does not take prisoners.
“I missed my mammogram in 2018, and in 2019 I was traveling. Then the whole COVID affair happened, and it wasn’t until September 2020 that I felt a lump. When I went to the doctor I found out it was a nine inch tumor and I had an aggressive strain, ”Wainwright revealed, adding,“ Early detection is crucial.
Luckily for her, the cancer – believed to have developed from a genetic trait when two aunts fell victim to the dreaded disease – has not spread.
“I am on the road to recovery, both physically and mentally. I am anointed. The aggressive strain that turned out to be a genetic trait, I survived because I checked. Women, check! Brothers must also watch over their wives or relatives, ”she said.
One in 22 women is diagnosed with breast cancer in Jamaica, and more women under the age of 25 are diagnosed with the disease, according to the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCA).
The cost of a mammogram is usually around $ 20,000 and this test should be done every year. This may be an astronomical bill for the average Jamaican woman, but the JCA has sort of a lifeline as it offers the test for $ 5,000.
According to Carolind Graham, president of JCA’s Jamaica Reach to Recovery, who is also a breast cancer survivor, educating the public on the early detection of this important health problem can go a long way in saving lives.
Women should check their breasts, she says.
“Early breast self-examination is absolutely important. If you find anything wrong, contact someone. Early detection saved my life. Detecting breast cancer early can reduce the morbidity rate in women, ”Graham said.
Breast cancer victims are often depressed and internalize their condition without seeking treatment, but Wainwright says it is the recipe for disaster.
“Don’t curl up in a ball. Don’t let your nerves put you in the closet and make you cry. It’s hard, but you have to live with it. You have to be strong “, she said The Sunday Gleaner.
She unabashedly paid tribute to her three children who, as she says, were a support in pulling her out of the closet and forcing her to face her carcinogenic demon.
“I have to give my three babies a big deal. They didn’t allow me to curl up and cry, ”she said.
What can I do to reduce my risk of breast cancer?
Getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can help lower your risk of breast cancer.
There are many factors that can influence your risk for breast cancer over the course of your life. There are things you can’t change, like aging or your family history, but you can help reduce your risk of breast cancer by taking care of your health in the following ways:
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Regular exercise.
• Do not drink alcohol or limit alcoholic beverages.
• If you are taking or have been told to take hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives (birth control pills), ask your doctor about the risks and find out if this is right for you.
• Breastfeed your children, if possible.
• If you have a family history of breast cancer or hereditary changes in your BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, talk to your doctor about other ways to lower your risk.
Source: CDC
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