The Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC), through the Veil of Hope Cancer Campaign Team of the Jasikan Diocese, have led a three day cancer awareness and screening campaign across schools in Ghana’s Oti Region.
The outreach, held from August 3 to 5, 2026, sought to raise awareness about breast, cervical and prostate cancers while promoting early detection and timely medical intervention among students, staff and the wider community.
Supervised by Sr Comfort Ashinyo, SMMC, the campaign combined health education, breast cancer screening and radio engagement across three Senior High Schools and a local radio station.
The campaign opened on August 3 at Fr Dogli Memorial Technical Institute, where the team was welcomed by school management despite the school being in the middle of end of semester examinations.
The educational sessions were led by the school chaplain and counsellor, Rev Fr Godwin Asante, and introduced by Sr Angela Enam Ahali, SMMC.
Sr Seraphine Agorti, SMMC, spoke on breast cancer, while Senior Midwife Officer Elizabeth Amenyo addressed cervical cancer and Health Promotion Officer Simon Klu spoke on prostate cancer.
Sr Agorti shared her personal experience of undergoing biopsy surgery, using her experience to emphasise the importance of awareness and early detection.
Fifty six learners and one staff member underwent breast screening.
One learner was found to have a breast lump, and the campaign team pledged to follow up to support the learner in accessing appropriate medical care.
On August 4, the campaign moved to Sekpele FM in Likpe, where the Sisters engaged listeners in a 90 minute radio programme on breast cancer.
Sr Agorti, supported by Sr Ahali and Sr Ashinyo, educated listeners about breast cancer and responded to questions from members of the public who called into the programme.
The team later travelled to Likpe Senior High School in the Guan District.
Over there, Sixty five learners and two staff members were screened. Three cases requiring further medical attention were identified, including two breast lumps and one case of discharge.
The final leg of the campaign took place on August 5 at Bueman Senior High School in Jasikan.
The team engaged a student population of 1,926, comprising 1,132 females and 794 males.
Ninety six learners and two staff members underwent screening, with seven breast lumps detected. Six of the seven cases were newly discovered.
School authorities expressed concern about the financial difficulties some parents may face in seeking medical care, noting the possibility that some families could resort to traditional treatments.
Across the three schools, the campaign reached well over 2,000 students and staff members, with 222 females undergoing breast screening.
Despite the success of the campaign, the team encountered logistical challenges, particularly with transportation. The postulancy vehicle was too small to accommodate the entire team, forcing some members to rely on public transport.
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