The Asbestos Relief Trust (ART) in conjunction with Isibani Development Partners and Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has collectively taken the initiative to reach out to selected villages in the district informing and educating them about lung cancer awareness.

The palliative care nurse, Ms Phemelo Magabanyane, said that the purpose of the programme is to identify lung cancer and treat it at the opportune time. She said that while the priority is lung cancer, cervical and breast cancers remain active in the awareness.

The team visited Magobing, Magojaneng and Gatshekedi villages on September 19, 2018 and Seodin village the following day. These villages are highly polluted with the blue asbestos which causes mesothelioma – a terminal lung cancer. The advocacy team said that they are targeting vast areas of the Ga-Segonyana and Joe Morolong municipalities where all cancers have taken a high toll.

The exercise included the x-ray examinations funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation which partnered with Isibani Development Partners a year ago.

Ms Maganyane representing the cancer charity workers in Kuruman responsible for advocacy, said lung cancer is mainly caused by smoking and the inhalation of asbestos particles.

The Executive Director of Isibani Development Partners from Pretoria, Ms Violet Baloyi said that a community outreach programme in this area is very important due to high levels of asbestos mining activities in the past.

“Isibani partnered with Innova specialising in x-rays so that during the awareness, tests could be conducted to detect cancer early. Early detection of the disease is the key objective. Among the symptoms of the disease is obesity. Eating health foods assist in the prevention of cancers,” Ms Baloyi said.