October is the internationally recognized month for Breast Cancer Awareness. For Journey of Hope Botswana (JOHB) it also marks the launch of a National Awareness Campaign titled “Go mo Diatleng Tsa Gago’’. Coordinator at JOHB, Onica Lekuntwane, says a Campaign Launch is scheduled for the second week of October, and will be seen across Television, print, radio and social media platforms.
“This campaign – made possible through a generous donation of P300 000.00 by Diacore Gaborone Marathon – is about de-stigmatising Breast Cancer and taking one’s health in their own hands. The campaign features a number of Breast Cancer Fighters and Survivors, who agreed to be photographed topless and share why they chose to take the steps they did, and how they are surviving Breast Cancer. These ladies range in age from the early 30s to the 70s – key target populations who are increasingly being affected by Breast Cancer,” said Lekuntwane.
The campaign also features men and women whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. Whilst they do not personally have Breast Cancer, they are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have lost loved ones, been care-givers or are involved in awareness activities because they understand that cancer cannot be ignored.
2019 also marks ten years of Journey of Hope Botswana. The volunteer-based non-profit organization was started in 2009, and since then ‘the Pink Ladies’ have travelled to kgotlas, clinics, hospitals and offices throughout Botswana teaching the importance of being breast aware. This is done through the TLT/TLC messaging, which continues to be a running theme in the new campaign.