THE prevention of cancer through eating healthy foods, staying fit and cutting down on bad habits is the main message that is being promoted by a health educator.
Jacob Aburi, the PNG Cancer Foundation health educator, said this in his presentation during the third Healthy Teens School Programme (HTSP) at Boera Primary School by the foundation in partnership with ExxonMobil. HTSP is a school-based cancer and education awareness programme that focuses on empowering teenagers to make healthy lifestyle choices to reduce the risks of getting cancer. More than 100 students from grades 6-8 attended this programme. “Cancer spreads through bad habits like chewing (betel nut), smoking and taking in alcohol” or passed through blood, he said. “So that is why our awareness is on preventing it, because one out of every 10 deaths in PNG is cancer related,” Aburi said. He explained how cancer spreads, and said that according to the World Health Organisation, 30 per cent of cancer can be treated. The foundation’s marketing coordinator, Rebekah Houji, said that preventing cancer means all types of cancer. “Today’s generation are exposed to all sort of habits, so this health awareness will prevent them from getting the disease, he said. “Lifestyle choices like chewing betel nut, drinking and smoking are the greatest risks for these children,” he said. The school’s head teacher, John Wasigui, thanked the foundation and ExxonMobil for the initiative and he said the awareness programme was the first of its kind. “These students are exposed to so many drugs like alcohol and smoke that are not good for their bodies, so this awareness is a good start,” he said. He said he will make sure his staff use their health lessons to continue from where foundation has left off. The National
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