Screen to live: FIGHT CANCER DRC tackles cancer in Taliha Lac

What if the power to save a life was contained in one word: screening? This Sunday, January 19, 2025, the FIGHT CANCER DRC team planted this seed of hope in the heart of the Lubero territory, in the isolated village of Taliha Lac, Alimbongo health zone, more than 160 kilometers from Goma. There, where roads disappear and information is lost, they fought a crucial battle against an invisible enemy: breast cancer.

Their mission? Not to just talk, but to arm an entire community with early detection. Under curious eyes and beating hearts, they deciphered the mysteries of this disease: its sneaky signs that go unnoticed, the risk factors lurking in the shadows, and above all, this glaring truth: early detection means gaining time on death. In a village where cancer is a taboo word, surrounded by fear and ignorance, this revelation struck like a thunderclap. And the response? A vibrant welcome, a thirst for action.

“When you know, you can fight,” the grateful residents murmured. Because here in Taliha Lac, screening is not a luxury—it’s an emergency. Far from clinics, far from X-rays, these women have learned to listen to their bodies’ signals, to break the silence before it becomes fatal. But they don’t stop there: they implored FIGHT CANCER DRC to extend this screening revolution to the western shores of Lake Edward, where other villages wait in the shadows for that same chance at survival.

And why not? In a corner of North Kivu where every day is a challenge, screening becomes a shield, a promise. Who would dare to turn a blind eye to this reality? Thanks to FIGHT CANCER DRC, Taliha Lac is no longer content to wait: she acts, she screens, she hopes. And you, will you dare to ignore this silent cry? Because a simple gesture – a pat-down, a visit – can reverse the course of a life

Hats off to this awakening community, and credit to FIGHT CANCER DRC, which is transforming ignorance into action, one screening at a time. Join the fight: cancer doesn’t wait, but we can get ahead of it.