Breast cancer is a developmental issue, not just a personal battle – Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai
The President of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, has emphasized that breast cancer should not be viewed merely as a personal health struggle, but as a pressing developmental and societal issue that demands collective action.
She made this call during the official launch of the 2025 edition of the “BCI Ghana Walk for the Cure” at the premises of Peace and Love Hospital at Oduom in the Oforikrom municipality in the Ashanti region, on Friday, September 5, 2025.
Scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 4, the walk aims to raise awareness, promote early detection, and celebrate survivorship, while honoring those who have lost their lives to the disease, and it will attract people from both local and international.
“This is more than just an event. It’s a movement. It’s a family. It’s survivorship, its hope in motion,” Dr. Wiafe Addai said.
Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who is also the CEO of Peace and Love Hospitals, added that “breast cancer affects not only individuals and their families but has far-reaching implications on communities and national development”.
“In view of this, we expect the individuals, society groups, organizations, and stakeholders to join the fight against breast cancer on October 4, as we educate the public on how to reduce the dreaded disease that is killing women needlessly,” she stated.
Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai noted that breast cancer is curable, preventable, and survivable if detected early, through regular medical screening, and therefore asked the public to report to the hospital if they detect anything unusual in the breasts.
The 2025 walk, themed “A Cure Worth Fighting For”, which is the 13th edition, is expected to attract over 30,000 participants from Ghana and beyond.
It will start at the Adum Post Office and climax at the Manhyia Palace Durbar Grounds, with the city of Kumasi set to be transformed into a sea of pink and white.
This year’s edition also marks a significant rebranding of BCI after over two decades of impactful work.
The new brand identity symbolizes BCI’s bold vision, expanded global outreach, and renewed commitment to leading the fight against breast cancer in Africa and beyond.
Through its free screenings, educational campaigns, and early detection programs, BCI has reached thousands of women across Ghana.
The annual walk remains a national rallying point that unites survivors, healthcare professionals, traditional leaders, and the general public in a show of solidarity and hope.
BCI Ghana Walk for the Cure background
The maiden edition of the BCI Ghana Race for the Cure took place in Kumasi in 2011, repeating itself the following year in Garden City before hitting the streets of Accra in 2013.
In 2014, it was moved to Sunyani, bounced off to Takoradi in 2015, in 2016, it bounced back to Kumasi, in 2017 to Koforidua, and in 2018 to Tamale.
In 2019, Ghana’s biggest and most successful breast cancer awareness campaign was held in Cape Coast. It took a break in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Accra City hosted the 11th edition in 2023, following a two-year hiatus. It bounced back to the Ashanti region, this time in the Ejisu municipality, and in 2025, it will be held in Kumasi, the same region.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Francis Appiah
