How can a company contribute to breast cancer prevention?

Early diagnosis is the best way to prevent breast cancer and at least avoid daily death 12 women in our country, since maintaining adequate medical follow-up can reduce mortality by 90% of cases. However, in this prevention process, a large number of women do not have access to these services, furthermore, the fear of a mammogram paralyzes them, and the stigmatization makes early diagnosis even more difficult.

This situation is very worrying, as breast cancer is the most common and the leading cause of death among women with some type of cancer. Likewise, most of these deaths occur in low- or middle-income countries, showing that inequality and lack of information also influence these figures.

In this sense, understanding the commitment it has with its communities, Tropic Sugar Group (GAT) through Ingenio La Gloria – a leading Mexican company in the production of sugar and alcohol – has decided to join the fight against this problem through an alliance with Mamotest —An international network that seeks to bring together the tools necessary for timely detection—. The collaboration gave birth to the initiative October is all year round …through which mammograms and follow-ups are carried out.

Detection, vital for preventing breast cancer

The impact of breast cancer has made the World Health Organization (WHO) maintain a firm goal of eradicating it, trying to reduce mortality between 2% and 4% over the next few years, which translates into the prevention of 2.5 million deaths. For this reason, every October 19th is the International day Fight against breast cancer.

Within this framework and as part of its commitment to people’s well-being, Grupo Azucarero del Trópico and Ingenio La Gloria have begun to raise awareness among staff on the importance of breast cancer prevention. Hand in hand with Mamotest, which integrates an awareness raising, better diagnosis and follow-up strategy, the program has been implemented October is all year round …

Through mammograms performed free of charge by Mamotest experts, more than 250 women of its staff, relatives of its workers, unionized and non-unionized, and women of the community in which the company operates will be affected, which is part of an entire strategy to promote the ‘health care.

“The first phase consisted of an awareness campaign, in which we made known what the“ October is all year ”program consists of, there we answered the doubts and myths that exist around mammography. […] From there we started with mammograms at the D’María hospital ”.

Nayeli Baizabal González, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Ingenio La Gloria.

This action represents the way in which GAT and Ingenio La Gloria, through their vision of generating shared value, demonstrate that they are a company that prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and family members, as well as being guided by the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which dictate the guidelines for building a better future.

“This program is aligned with the SDG 3: Health and well-beingthen it will contemplate the women who work with us in the first phase, in the second to direct the relatives of all our collaborators, and in the third to the surrounding communities ”.

Elizabeth García Rodríguez, Head of Accountability at GAT.

It should be noted that, as Elizabeth García Rodríguez, Head of Accountability of the GAT, comments, in addition to mammograms, awareness-raising talks were held in order to remove taboos on how to prevent breast cancer. Furthermore, male personnel have been included in these, so as to be also informed and aware of how serious it can be not to show up for a periodic check-up.

CSR can save lives

Having as a diagnostic center the D’Maria Hospital located in the state of Veracruz, the collaborators who decided to undergo the study had the attention of the Mamotest staff, who at all times offered them a kind and dignified treatment; as well as the clarification of all your doubts about the procedure and the results. That said, María Magdalena del Hoyo, who works in Ingenio La Gloria’s spirits factory, assures her that her experience was very pleasant and safe.

“The staff was very attentive and fast, it exceeded my expectations. […] Do not hesitate to take the study, it is something we must do to ensure our health. There are women who are afraid of the pain it can cause, but it is a small inconvenience and the certainty of being well is better.

María Magdalena del Hoyo, collaborator of the Ingenio La Gloria.

Among the many situations that prevent breast cancer from being prevented there is fear and pain, both for the pain that mammography could entail, and for having an unfavorable result. In the face of this, it should be noted that this disease has a high survival rate if detected early.

“A lot of women don’t like it [realizarse el estudio] It is a pity that they see them, but I recommend that they do, because it is very necessary to know if there is any small problem, because the cancer is okay ”.

Gloria López Cervantes, collaborator of the Ingenio La Gloria.

While much effort is still needed to eradicate breast cancer, with strategies such as those implemented by GAT and Ingenio La Gloria, false beliefs and poor access to comprehensive health services will diminish. The above shows how a company can benefit its stakeholders and the main thing: to help save lives like those of Gloria and María and avoid complex situations for many families.