By Massa Kanneh masskanneh4@gmail.com
Massa Morris 41, died at the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, in January 2021, after being diagnosed with Cancer at the John F Kennedy Memorial Hospital in December, 2020. For the first time, since her death, her fiancé, Mohammed Kanneh has chosen to speak up about it.
Prior to being Diagnosed, Kanneh explained that his fiancé the deceased started experiencing Breast pain in 2020, she could feel cold and feverish during evening hours. At some point they did not know it was Cancer, she imagined it to have been some African Sickness (voodoo) that someone might have thrown on her, because of the competitive Oil business she was involved with in the Duala Market.
Mr. Kanneh narrated that because of said thought regarding his fiancé, she chose to go out of Town to seek Herbal treatment, but her condition kept worsened by the day. She returned to Monrovia and begun unspecified treatment at the same time taking herbs as remedies.
“Massa begun losing weight and appetite, she could only drink, juices and soft foods. Her Stomach begun to swell, until we went to JFK,” he said.
At the JFK Medical Center after the diagnosis, she was given some medication and the Doctor sent her Home, they felt her condition was already worse. The Doctor at the Hospital advised that a Mastectomy surgery (removing the breast) be performed on her, but it is alleged, her parents insisted they would not allow that.
He explained that when the she came home, she was continued taking treatment. But unfortunately, her condition got terrible one night, and she was rushed to the Catholic Hospital, where she died few days later, leaving her three children behind.
Avoiding recurrence
In order to help create the necessary awareness to avoid reoccurrence of what happened to Ms. Morris, October of each year is the Cancer awareness Month.
Christine Brooks-Jarrette is the Executive director of the Liberia Cancer Resource Initiative (LCRL) Inc. This organization is mainly focused on Breast and Cervical Cancer awareness and some specific interventions.
Mrs. Brooks-Jarrette
She explains the essence of October and why the awareness is important, in Liberia, adding a ‘Walk’ slated for October 30th mainly focus on calling attention to the incidents of breast cancers in Liberia. It is also to raise funds toward the implementation of the activities they have lined up for the annual breast cancer awareness, which include assisting with testing fees.
There are different types of Cancers that affect the human body, but Brooks-Jarrette and her team are concerned on interventions in the areas of breast and Cervical Cancer in terms of diagnosis, the streaming and the ultrasounds stages. She believed the early the diagnosis the better is for the Patient.
According to her, most Women might not go Hospital for checkup due to the exorbitant fees of U$50 at some Health Facilities, and this is where her Organization comes in to partly assist some Women in getting tested or screened.
“You can do the self-breast exam which is without cost, but if you choose to do the single mammogram, which is fifty US dollars. While some may be able to afford the U$50.00, to just go to the hospital and have their mammogram done, not many can afford it,” she said.
She mentioned that Hope for Women Hospital has been so helpful; they help do testing for minimum cost, even with all that, some might not still afford it.
“So we make intervention where we can, and we’re hoping that very soon there will be other locations that might probably affect the cost. We may be able to do test for $10 or $15 dollars, but still some may not also be able to afford it but that will be a significant drop when you compare to the $50.00 US,” Mrs. Brooks-Jarrett added.
Cancer seen as a taboo
From her observation and Communities engagements, it is noticed Cancer is not something which is easily talked about in Liberia. She added that many people interacted with, see the discussion of cancer as a taboo and never want to speak about it.
Mrs. Brooks-Jarrette: “Many persons still consider it a taboo. There are people who are even afraid to say cancer, oh the big sea. And sometimes when you even mention that somebody should do mammogram, breast test, they are like God forbid; I am not going to catch cancer.”
The team wants to be more robust in its approach to the awareness on Breast Cancer, rather than just October, they want to have this as a routine activity, such as collaboration and constant engagement with the communities. They also intend to decentralize to other Counties but funding has been a major concern.
“ Funding, we have had some amazing organizations and individuals who have supported us in the cost and some are even reached out to be annual sponsors, so is not like October that we reach out to them and say can you support our work , we want to be able to support different activities around persons living with cancer.”
Despite funding being one of the major challenges, she expressed gratitude to those who have made the work easier them, including some communities that have been receptive to the message, even though, there are still challenges. The challenges include accessing some of the communities because, the team has realized the Leadership of those communities have not opened up to Cancer discussions.
To get funding, the team has to organize fund raising activities such as having a brunch where gifts are posted and a minimum of U$10 is expected for individuals who’ll grace the occasion. Another means of fund raising is printing of Shirts and other accessories for a minimum charge, added to little contribution from philanthropists.
Doctor Benedict Kolee is a trained Pathologist, which is concerned with laboratory and medicine, assigned at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Memorial Hospital. Dr. Kolee is one of the few Liberian Doctors who had had the opportunity to get an advance Cancer diagnosis and Research Training at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India for one Year.
Specialized Cancer Doctors needed
Since his return in November, 2020, he has been playing multiple roles at the JFK to fill in for some of the needed Doctors that are missing, such as a Cancer treatment specialist. To this effect,
Dr. Ben Kolee
Dr. Kolee cried that the work load is as tense as they are only two pathologists in the Country and also responsible to do Cancer diagnosis, despite having a State of the Art Laboratory. He has stress the need for more Doctors, especially Oncologists and Hematologists (Doctors specialized in Cancer related Diagnoses and treatments).
Cancer is not a new phenomenon, he lamented, saying that it just that there were inadequate awareness, as compared to present. But he attributed the lack of Cases then, due to the Organic Foods our forefathers eat compared to processed and Genetic food consumption in present days.
Adding, despite the awareness, to help achieved in the Medical field, more Doctors are needed, warning that government needs to stop retiring Doctors, and that others should trained and added to old Doctors to provide expertise when needed.
”Cancer is not a new phenomenon, the awareness, most people did not know about it, it dates back to our grandparents, they used to grow their own foods, but now, we eat processed foods some are genetically manufactured, these are contributing factors. We have Cancer Laboratory at JFK that worth half a Million state of the Art Laboratory. “We are only two Pathologists in the Country, and for Cancer Diagnosis. Sometimes, I have to take the Machine, with me, like on the go to examine Patients samples. The work load is too much; we work 24/7 around the clock,” Dr. Kolee said.
Researchers are still finding out the main reasons for Cancer but some of the most common factors could be the Food human consumed, according to Dr. Kolee.
He said during the time Days of Fore Parents, especially in Africa, there were lots more organic Foods Consumed than that of the mostly processed Foods consumed Worldwide in present Days. He also lamented that some People developed Cancer base on their high Insulin hormone in the body.
Cancer can also be genetically transferred through a Family linage, especially Breast Cancer and mostly, he said such Cancer affects the both breast. For Cervical Cancer, recent study has shown that this caused by Human virus, and can be transmitted through Sex, which was not known Ten Years back.
“There are not really mean caused of Cancer, as studies are still being conducted, but these are sometimes attributed to type of foods, the Hormone in the Women body, the estrogen and progesterone… For some women it can be Genetic factors, it runs in the Family, there is a chances of other family members getting Cancer. Insulin has also been added, when you have a lot of Insulin in the body, there is a chance of getting Cancer. For the Cervical Cancer, it is mostly gotten by human Virus, it is a sexual Transmitted infection, and this was not known 10 years back,” Dr. Kolee noted.
Cancer treatment
Dr. Kolee have said that the best treatment for breast Cancer is for the Women to regularly check their breast, or ask their Partners to do it for them, if any unusual occurrence in the breast, the patients is advised to seek early medical attention.
He explained there are three primary stages and at first and second level, the breast can still be saved.
“Breast Cancer has the primary Level, this, a woman can go for breast check, or she herself can do this in front of the Mirror, to see and touch her breast, if you observed abnormal features on your breast, you can seek medical advice for those who are 35 to 40, but those who are above, 40 years old, she has to do , a mammogram, at that point, the X ray reveals what is starting in the breast, it can be removed, at that point, that portion can be removed, because it has not spread to the entire breast. This is called Breast conservation surgery. The texture is when you already have the Cancer, he said “When you already hate Cancer, especially breast Cancer, make sure you do self-test, examine yourself, and make sure to seek medical attention just in case you suspect an unusualness on your breast, so that your breast can be preserved,” Dr. Kolee added
Statistic on Cancer Patients at JFK/WHO&ACS
For the minimum of Patients under the JFK Care, they paid U$10 while patients from outside pay U$15 for test.
According Dr. Kolee, an average of 10 patients are seen per day, there are likelihood of them being diagnosed with Cancer, many of them stay away for many years seeking herbal treatments before come to the Hospital. Another issue raised by the Doctor is the health seeking behaviors of men, he said 08% of patients seeking medical attention are Women, wherein men also developed rare breast Cancer but mostly prostate Cancer.
“The health seeking behaviors of men are horrible, at Hospital, 80 percent of Patients are Women.. This has contributed to short life spam of Men. But it very rare to see Men walked in the Hospital for checkups. And Men can also get breast Cancer, and prostate cancer, but they will not come until it becomes severe. Men hardly submit to checkup.”
“The mindset of people is the major challenge, While you seek herbal care, come seek medical attention, come early, the early the better, don’t allow the cancer spread into your body before you come, it might be too late. Going to Hospital does not make you lose your faith, some of them come, its already after three Years, before they come, it has already go through the body, in the chest and stomach,
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, there were 3,552 new cases recorded for both sexes in Liberia, but Female accounting for the highest number of 2,121, with 2,603 deaths for both sexes. The general breakdown, Cervix Cancer accounted for 18.5%, Breast cancer, 14.9%, liver Cancer, 12.8%, Prostate Cancer, 12.7%, Non Hodgkin lymphoma,3.9% and other Cancers accounted for 27.2%.
Also stated by cancer.org, 5Billion has been invested into Cancer Research, since 1946, with 3.2Million Patients served in the last decade and 16.9Million Cancer survivals alive today.