October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, during which many health and lifestyle organizations launched campaigns to remind and inform women and society in general about the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancer. This movement is known in many parts of the world as Pink October.

In late October, taking advantage of the Pink October campaign, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Itabuna and Salvador, Bahia, held meetings with nearly 50 women to discuss the topic.

In Itabuna, the ADRA Development Center, Casa de Lió, promoted a lecture with the theme “Women's Health - Breast & Cervical Cancer Prevention” in partnership with the manager of the South Regional Center / SESAB, Luciana Pinheiro. The 32 women participating in the project had access to cytology and mammography exams.

"It was a wonderful afternoon, seeing those women so focused on learning, and being able to not only bring information and guidance but also contribute to the exams, is very rewarding," comments Carla Pita, coordinator for the Casa de Lió project.

Agileuza Santana, coordinator of the Cidinho Project - Incentive Center for Child Development, mentions the relevance of ADRA's role in society.

“The opportunity to guide people in these campaigns, to bring health professionals to speak to the mothers who participate in the Cidinho project is very important,” she says. “In this way, we are able to make them aware of the need for self-examination, a process that is part of the prevention of breast and cervical cancer. We are very grateful for the partnership with the Salvador Department of Health, through nurse Bárbara Sampaio, who dedicated a little of her time and knowledge to reach these women.”

At the end of the meeting, Rosa Maria, one of the participants, thanked the coordinators for the opportunity that the project brought.

“The explanation of the matter was very clear,” she said. “May God bless the team, and whenever there are campaigns like this, we will participate to stay informed.”

Through the Pink October campaign, ADRA Regional Bahia and its nuclei hope to make each participant aware of the importance of self-examination for the prevention of breast cancer and to offer a welcoming environment to the women who participate in each project.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site