It’s just a couple of days until Christmas and we’d like to take a few moments to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, and as the year draws to an end it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the work that we’re doing.
As a result of all your support and encouragement we have been very productive and have made significant progress in working towards our mission of improving the health and well-being of the black community. Thank you for all your support, we really appreciate it.
We are delighted to share our achievements for 2016 with you. Over the past year:
Our African Caribbean Cancer Support Group which met monthly continued but came to end as our grant came to an end. We’d like to thank the facilitator of the group Hazel Williams who did a excellent job in providing support to group members and we’d like to thank Macmillan Cancer Support and Croydon Council for funding this project.
2. We continued to offer support to women affected by fibroids through our Fibroids Ask the Expert which provides women with questions or concerns with access to experts in the field who can provide them with accurate reliable information.
4. We once again teamed up with Black History Walks, Amanda Epe and Dr Sydney Dillard to run a fibroids awareness event with over 200 women attending.
5. We received a grant from Sport England to run our cycling club for a year. Our club began in February 2016. We have 20 members with a core group that have attended regularly come rain or shine. This project is part of our ‘Keep Active’ work which aims to get the black community active.
9. We were offered a grant from Croydon Council to run a 12 month diabetes community champion programme in collaboration with Diabetes UK which will start in 2017.
10. We were selected as Noire Wellness’ charity of the year and they will be raising £2000 which will go towards our fibroids education and support programme.
This week the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) published the results of their research exploring cancer deaths in the Caribbean. This was an interesting piece of work revealing what the common causes of cancer deaths are in the region.
This piece of research looked at 23 Caribbean islands and looked at the most recent five years of mortality data during the period from 2003 to 2013. When they looked at all cancers combined the number of cancer deaths ranged from 32 deaths in the Turks and Caicos Islands to 26,135 in Puerto Rico. They converted the deaths into an age-standardised rate which allows a better comparison because this rate takes into account the size of the population and the age of the people in that population. This is important because a larger country will have more deaths simply because they have a larger population and a region with an older population will have more deaths because cancer is more common in older people. By taking these two factors into account we can get an idea of other underlying factors that may be causing cancer deaths which could be prevented, or in countries where cancer deaths rates are low we can explore what factors are contributing to this so other countries can learn from this.
When cancer deaths were converted into an age-standardised rate it was found that the lowest cancer death rate was found in the Turks and Caicos Islands at 46.1 cancer deaths per 100,000 people and the highest rate was in St Kitts and Nevis at 139.3 per 100,000 people.
The researchers then looked at specific cancers and they found that across 20 of the Caribbean islands prostate cancer was the most common cause of cancer deaths amongst men accounting for 18.4% to 47.4% of cancer deaths. This was followed by lung cancer which accounted for 5.6% to 24.4% of cancer deaths.
When they looked at women, breast cancer was the most common cause of cancer deaths in 16 of the Caribbean islands accounting for 14% to 29.7% of cancer deaths. Cervical cancer was found to be the second most common cause of cancer deaths in women with 4.5% to 18.2% of cancer deaths being attributed to cervical cancer.
The researchers also found that bowel cancer was the third most common cause of cancer deaths in men and women and that overall cancer was second leading cause of death in all islands.
When the deaths rates in the Caribbean were compared to those in the US, it was found that death rates for cervical cancer were 2 – 9 times higher in the Caribbean, prostate cancer death rates were 2 -8 times higher in the Caribbean and lung cancer death rates were lower in the Caribbean.
It was explained, in the publication of the research, that there could be an under or overestimation of the data in the Caribbean for several different reasons such as missing, unknown, invalid and non-specific information. Despite this, important conclusions can be made from this work with researchers concluding that:
“Lung and cervical cancers are important preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in most of the Caribbean countries. Lung cancers can be prevented through primary prevention of exposure to risk factors such as smoking, and cervical cancers can be prevented through human papillomavirus vaccination.
The leading causes of cancer deaths in the Caribbean region for both males and females also can be reduced through screening, early detection, and effective treatment for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancers. Although prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the Caribbean, effective screening strategies that result in reduced mortality have not yet emerged globally, highlighting the need for strengthening referral and treatment strategies.”
The Lake Foundation welcomed this research which provides some good insight into areas that require attention in order to improve cancer outcomes in the Caribbean.
This week several media outlets ran the story that women who are optimistic live longer. You may be asking: where did the media get this story from? This story was based on a research study, conducted at the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology on 7th December 2016. The study found that women who were optimistic were less likely to die from cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and infection.
The study involved 70,021 women and ran from 2004 – 2012. Women’s levels of optimism were measured by asking women to rate how optimistic they thought they were on a scale of 0 to 24 and then researchers determined how optimism and other factors such as race, diet and physical activity affected a woman’s chance of dying from a particular condition.
They found that the most optimistic women were 30% less likely to die from any of the diseases explored in the study than the least optimistic women. Looking at individual diseases the most optimistic women were 52% less likely to die from infection, 39% less likely to die from stroke, 38% less likely to die from heart disease, 38% lower risk of dying from respiratory disease and 16% less likely to die from cancer.
They did find that some of this effect could be explained by health behaviours and health conditions. So, for example, the most optimistic women smoked less and were more physically active. Additionally, more of the least optimistic women had a history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, cancer and stroke. Despite this, health behaviours and conditions only partially explained the link between optimism and the lower risk of dying from various conditions which means that there is something about optimism in itself that is beneficial to our health.
The researchers suggested that optimism may have a biological and psychological effect on the body and they concluded that: “it [optimism] may provide a valuable target for new research on strategies to improve health.”
This study shows the power of the mind and demonstrates that if we have a positive outlook on life this can contribute to improving our health.
The researchers stated that the good news is:
“Previous studies have shown that optimism can be altered with relatively uncomplicated and low-cost interventions—even something as simple as having people write down and think about the best possible outcomes for various areas of their lives, such as careers or friendships. Encouraging use of these interventions could be an innovative way to enhance health in the future.”
So, if you struggle with having an optimistic view on situations, you can actually learn to be more optimistic and you may benefit from a mindfulness class. Mindfulness helps people change the way they think about stressful situations helping people respond in a positive way.
The UK government have recognised the benefit of mindfulness and formed the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group who described mindfulness as:
“Mindfulness means paying attention to what’s happening in the present moment in the mind, body and external environment, with an attitude of curiosity and kindness. It is typically cultivated by a range of simple meditation practices, which aim to bring a greater awareness of thinking, feeling and behaviour patterns, and to develop the capacity to manage these with greater skill and compassion. This is found to lead to an expansion of choice and capacity in how to meet and respond to life’s challenges, and therefore live with greater well-being, mental clarity and care for yourself and others.”
For further information you can read the All-Party Parliamentary Group’s report on mindfulness.
Last Saturday, our cycling club decided to do something a bit different – combine cycling with another activity. We opted for a visit to the Bethlem Museum of the Mind in Beckenham.
We started our session with a 30 minute ride from our starting point in Elmer’s End and took a very picturesque route to Monks Orchard Road in Beckenham, where the museum is located.
Upon arrival we were welcomed by very friendly staff who gave us a quick overview of the museum, the current exhibitions (The human influencing machine and the Art of Louis Wain), upcoming events and their collection of work, and we then proceeded upstairs to visit the main collection.
During our visit we learnt that the museum was formally opened in 2015. It explores the history of mental healthcare and treatment, looks at the use of art as therapy and provides insight into the former patients at the Bethlem Royal Hospital.
The Bethlem Royal Hospital first opened its doors in 1247 and is the UK’s first psychiatric institution. The museum takes visitors on a journey that explores the hospital’s history and the history of mental health in general. The museum covers how mental health is labelled, diagnosis, patient narratives, physical restraints, medical treatment and more. There is also an interesting collection of artwork from patients which, during their stay in hospital, would have provided them with the opportunity to address their battle with mental ill-health and express how they feel. This collection of artwork gave us an informative and touching look at how mental health conditions affect patients.
One set of artwork that stood out for us were the two pieces created by William Kurelek . His first painting, ‘The Maze’, which he painted whilst in hospital, conveys how he felt in the lead-up to and during his battle with clinical depression and other emotional problems. Whilst his second painting reveals his state of mind after recovery (the paintings are shown below).
The Maze by William Kurelek
Out of The Maze by William Kurelek
We found the museum to be very engaging with good use of a range of media to powerfully take us through the world of mental health. There were audio recordings of patient stories, paintings, hospital record books, samples from a padded room and a short film that allowed us to reflect on where we should draw the line between freedom and restraint.
Another interesting feature was the Human Influencing Machine exhibit. This was based on the paranoid delusions of James Tilly Matthews, a former patient of Bethlem Royal Hospital who believed that influencing machines were being used by those in power and that one of these machines had been placed in or near the hospital with bad intentions against him.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Bethlem Museum which ended with a nice stop at their cafe for a warm drink to prepare us for our ride back to Croydon. We highly recommended visiting the museum and will definitely be returning as they do organise a number of interesting events.
In this week’s blog our cycling club coordinator, Sheila, inspired by a challenging and invigorating cycling session, discusses the benefits of cycling.
This month The Lake Foundation Cycling Club ventured on a 4-hour ride to Greenwich (great!). We cycled in the rain – erm, I’ll see you next month! (I don’t blame you). Had it not been for enthusiastic members and a guest from the USA I’d have headed to Costa Cafe. In hindsight the ride was invigorating. In spite of the rain, I can’t deny the satisfaction pressing through the desire to go home. So we thought we’d share the love and break down some benefits that you too can enjoy on our Saturday morning rides.
Early to Rise
“Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy wealthy and wise” so the proverb goes. Sleep experts say going to bed earlier and waking up early is good for your body.
Why? The Circadian Rhythm. That’s the flashy word to describe the internal 24-hour clock that all living organisms have e.g. when to sleep, rise, eat etc. Our Circadian Rhythm is linked to light, darkness and our environment. The theory says that if we follow this cycle, e.g. through better sleep patterns, we will be in tune with nature. Sleep regenerates the protein molecules that make up our immune system.
Cycling and Psychology
Psychologists say that taking an active role in your exercise benefits mental health. This action can create a sense of control and has the added bonus of boosting self-esteem, which is how we see ourselves, our place in the world and value to others. Self-esteem impacts how much we trust, our relationships and actually spills out into most areas of life.
Cycling and the Brain
White matter (not to be confused with grey matter) sits below the surface of the brain. It’s likened to a subway that connects different regions of the brain. This brain connectivity is key to everyday life. In developing adults it’s linked to motivation, demeanour and executive function (i.e. our ability for mental control and self-regulation). A study in the Netherlands reported that practising motor skills improves flow between regions. So a repetitive physical activity like cycling is perfect.
Cycling and your mood
Another buzz word today is endorphins ( endorph… what?). Discovered 40 years ago endorphins are a natural painkiller. We generate them through exercise. Activity releases chemicals that interact with receptors in your brain. Their function is to reduce discomfort and make you feel good. Another benefit of cycling is that exercise can be a helpful distraction from worries.
Today, Cancer Research UK and Public Health England announced that a recent analysis of cancer data revealed that black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with late stage breast cancer as their white counterparts. They found that 25% of black African breast cancer patients and 22% of black Caribbean patients had late stage disease compared to 13% of white patients.
The fact that black women are more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage has been known for some time and has also been observed in not just the UK but in the USA too. The Lake Foundation has conducted work in this area to explore the possible reasons behind this. In 2011, we carried out some qualitative research to explore black women’s beliefs about breast cancer and their help-seeking behaviour to determine whether these two factors may lead to delays in diagnosis. Overall our study suggested that, when it comes to seeking help, black women are quite proactive and there would be no delay in visiting their GP (doctor) if they noticed a breast lump; delays in visiting a GP could occur if black women experience other symptoms as they were less aware of these.
We also found that the following factors could delay help seeking in black women: other priorities such as family or work commitments; language barriers; lack of access to information; age (older people are more likely to delay visiting their GP); difficulty getting appointments; cultural insensitivy of the healthcare system, inaction by GPs; and a lengthy referral process. You can read more about this work on our research page (scroll to the bottom of the page).
National data suggests that black women are less likely to take part in the NHS Breast Screening Programme and this could be another reason for the late stage diagnosis. In 2011, our founder Abi Begho worked with Betterdays Cancer Care, the NHS and Cancer Black Care to determine why black women are less likely to attend breast screening and whether patient navigation could be an effective way of improving screening uptake in black women in Peckham and Lewisham. We found that, at the time, black women living in Lewisham and Peckham who were of screening (over the age of 50) were very mobile with many women being unreachable, on an extended trip abroad; having moved from their GP registered address or had relocated and lived abroad, hence they missed their breast screening appointments. We found that patient navigation was effective at reaching women as numerous and extensive attempts were made to contact women and then support them to attend their screening appointments. You can read more about this work here
Finally, scientific research has also suggested that black women are more likely to develop a more aggressive form of breast cancer which grows rapidly, so this could explain some of the late stage cases. Studies also suggest that black women are more likely to develop breast cancer at a younger age.
This recent analysis by Cancer Research UK has reminded the nation that there is an issue around black women and breast cancer that needs to be addressed. We need to ensure that black women are aware of all the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and that they seek help quickly if they notice any of the symptoms. We also need to understand the biology of the disease and the best ways of detecting and treating the more aggressive forms of breast cancer.
So, the message to black women is:
Be aware of all the signs and symptoms of breast cancer
If you’re worried about any symptoms that you have, please visit your doctor as soon as possible
Eat a healthy diet, keep active and maintain a healthy weight to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer
If you’re aged 50 or over, consider accepting your invitation from the NHS to take part in breast screening
Know your family history. If you have a strong family history of breast cancer you may be at an increased risk so visit your GP for some advice and information
Recently we came across a web series called Shrink which is set in London and explores both the mental and physical symptoms of depression. It tackles the fact that depression affects people of all walks of life and highlights that people are affected differently.
The main character in this really interesting web series is cognitive behaviour therapist Natasha Charlton who, as well as having to support her patients, has to deal with her own secret mental health issue.
Episodes are 8-17 minutes long and in each episode we’re introduced to a new patient of Natasha’s. Through their stories we learn how experiences like childhood abuse, university life, parent expectations, unemployment, workplace bullying, work stress and body image can all have a significant impact on our mental health. Shrink also tackles the stigma associated with mental ill-health, the lengths that people will go to to hide their condition, the destructive ways that people may deal with mental health issues and the discrimination that exists.
So far there has been one series of Shrink and season two will be starting soon with the creators stating that they will be touching on topical issues like Brexit and the Black Lives Matter movement.
In the UK, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year and despite the fact that mental health issues are very common those affected still feel very isolated with there being an unease to discuss mental health.
When we look at the black community, statistics suggest that the African-Caribbean community are more likely to be diagnosed with severe mental illness and are 3-5 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Looking specifically at depression, a condition that features highly in Shrink, we know that 2.6% of the UK’s population are affected by depression.
Depression is described as a mood disorder where those affected feel persistently sad and lose interest in day-to-day activities and hobbies. It’s not the kind of sadness that people can just “get over” but needs some form of strategy to overcome. There are different types of depression such as major depression, bipolar disorder, persistent depressive disorder, seasonal defective disorder and postnatal depression, just to name a few. If you or anyone you know may be experiencing depression, please to reach out to your GP or a charity like Mind for some support, do not suffer in silence.
We applaud the makers of Shrink for using drama to raise awareness of depression and other mental health issues. Drama is a powerful way to highlight health issues and another organisation, Know My Mind, has used drama, with their play ‘So You Think I am Crazy’, to tackle the challenges black people face in the UK mental health system.
We found Shrink to be very interesting and look forward to watching the second series. You can watch the first season of Shrink here
Last night, we attended ‘Building Things for Nigeria 2.0’, an event that gave those in the tech industry the opportunity to showcase how they’re using IT solutions to address health, business, finance and social challenges.
One of the presentations that really stood out for us and really demonstrated the power that technology can have in public health was that delivered by the team behind the Playbrush.
What is the Playbrush?
The Playbrush is an award-winning device that aims to promote good oral health in children by making toothbrushing fun. It allows children to play entertaining and instructional games whilst brushing their teeth, these aren’t just games with no purpose but they actually get kids brushing for longer and properly.
The Playbrush is a Bluetooth device that can be attached to most manual toothbrushes and converts them into a game controller. It works by first downloading the Playbrush app to your mobile phone and then pairing the Playbrush, connected to a toothbrush, to your phone and then the games begin. Children can shoot Crobies, fly planes and save the tooth fairy by simply brushing their teeth.
Whilst brushing their teeth, motion sensors in the Playbrush record the duration and speed of brushing. A specific algorithm helps children brush for longer and more thoroughly, ensuring they cover all areas during brushing. Parents and children are given real time feedback through the brushing statistics and children can win rewards when they brush more regularly and accurately.
The games on the Playbrush are fun but educational and using the theory of action and reaction they teach children the importance of oral health in a fun and engaging way.
Who is Behind the Playbrush?
Giving the presentation at last night’s event was the Nigerian Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Playbrush, Tolu Ogunsina, who worked with his two co-founders to make Playbrush a reality. Tolu described the inspiration behind the Playbrush, which was quite simple, observing children who were reluctant brushers and thinking about how to make a boring task fun.
They have also worked in collaboration with dentists, public health specialists, academics, investors, designers and engineers to create the Playbrush ensuring that the technology behind it does make a real difference to oral health, and their hard work and innovation has paid off as Playbrush has won multiple awards including:
Winner of the Best Technology Innovation Award (Gamification World Awards 2015)
UCL Bright Ideas Winner 2014
eAward Winner 2016
Dad Rated Bronze Award Winners
Pioneers Vienna Competition Winner 2015
Now that is how you use tech!
We have heard so many horror stories of technology gone wrong and it was a pleasure to hear of the success of technology in changing health behaviour. The Playbrush has already exceeded expectations with the sales doing exceptionally well, dentist approval and interest from a number of dental companies. We wish them continued success and hope we see an improvement in the oral health of children.
Want to get your own Playbrush? You can pick up one on Amazon
We love social media. It really does open up the world to us and provides access to a vast amount of information that we would have struggled to find a decade ago.
Yesterday, we found ourselves mentioned in a Tweet. We thought: ‘interesting, thanks for the mention’ and then we proceeded to click on the link to explore further. We were taken to a summary of a British Heart Foundation funded research project about the African-Caribbean community and heart failure.
We just love this about social media. Information is so accessible; it literally falls into your lap (or Twitter feed!). It’s great when people take the time to seek you out and bring relevant information to your attention.
What exactly was being brought to our attention?
The research that was being brought to our attention by our fellow Twitter user was a study published in the journal of Circulation Heart Failure conducted by lead researcher Dr Jason Dungu from St Georges University of London. His work explored the causes of heart failure in different ethnic groups with a particular focus on the Afro-Caribbean population. This research revealed that the cause of heart failure is dependent on ethnicity.
What did the researchers do in this study?
They looked at all patients with heart failure who attended St George’s Hospital Heart Failure Clinic between 2005 and 2012. These included 1392 patients, 211 of these patients were Afro-Caribbean.
Participants’ diagnosis of heart failure was confirmed through a medical history, an examination and various tests. The cause of their heart failure was determined by an initial assessment and then confirmed by a review of the patient’s records and through any investigations and findings.
What did they find?
The researchers found that the causes of heart failure varied based on ethnic group. For example the most common cause of heart failure in white patients was coronary heart disease; this was the cause of heart failure in 41% of white patients. When they looked at Afro-Caribbean patients coronary heart disease was the cause of heart failure in just 13% of these patients.
In Afro-Caribbean patients the most common cause of heart failure was non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy. This was the cause in 28% of Afro-Caribbean patients compared to 20% of white patients. Other causes of heart failure in Afro-Caribbean patients included:
hypertensive cardiomyopathy (12% of black patients; in white patients this was the cause in 2.2% of cases);
cardiac amyloidosis (11% of black patients; in white patients this was the cause in 1.6% of cases)
valvular heart disease (7% of black patients)
The finding that 11% of Afro-Caribbean patients developed heart failure due to cardiac amyloidosis was very significant. This is because whilst, generally speaking, cardiac amyloidosis is considered a rare condition, it features in 11% of Afro-Caribbean heart failure patients, making it the fourth most common cause of heart failure in this ethnic group. Additionally it was found that patients who develop heart failure due to cardiac amyloidosis had a lower survival rate than those who develop heart failure due to coronary heart disease. This means that more attention needs to be paid to these patients.
The Importance of this Research
This research reveals that when diagnosing and treating heart failure ethnicity needs to be taken into account and Afro-Caribbean patients have to be handled differently.
Thank you social media!
It’s great that through social media we can easily gain access to the latest research and we thank those that continue seek us out when relevant research is published.
References
Afro-Caribbean Heart Failure in the United Kingdom: Cause, Outcomes, and ATTR V122I Cardiac Amyloidosis. Circulation: Heart Failure 2016; 9: e003352
On 1st October, we attended the Fibroid Forum. This was an excellent informative event organised by a group of ladies affected by fibroids. In our previous blog we discussed the first half of the event and in today’s blog we’ll summarise the second half of the event.
The final part of the fibroid forum focused on treatment and we heard from two speakers on this topic, Dr Raj Das, Consultant Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist at St Georges and Professor Isaac Manyonda, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at St Georges.
Uterine Artery Embolisation
Dr Raj Das focused his presentation on uterine artery embolisation (UAE), an established procedure which has been used by doctors since the 1990s to treat fibroids; it involves cutting off the blood supply feeding the fibroid. Dr Das spoke about the evidence that demonstrated the benefits of UAE. The benefits include patients having a good clinical outcome, patients reporting a good outcome themselves, lower blood loss, a shorter hospital stay and a quicker return to work than some other procedures. He also added that for UAE the rate of infection is less than 5% and that after the UAE procedure the fibroids are still there and what they are looking for is symptom improvement rather than disappearance of the fibroids, but in 3-5% of cases the fibroids do clear themselves. He stated that UAE is a viable treatment for those wishing to retain fertility.
Dr Das also mentioned that UAE can be used when women with fibroids have any of the following: severe heavy bleeding, painful periods, anaemia and pressure on the bladder or bowel. He also touched on aftercare and suggested that women take 1-2 weeks off work after the procedure, avoid driving for five days and only engage in light activities at home during the recovery period.
Surgical and Medical Treatment
Following Dr Das’ presentation we then heard from Prof Isaac Manyonda. Prof Manyonda discussed surgical and medical interventions for treating fibroids and started by explaining that it is very important that doctors optimise the care that women receive because of the changing demographics of childbirth – women are delaying pregnancy until later in life when fibroids are more common and more likely to be symptomatic. He said the old adage “babies, then fibroids, then hysterectomy” no longer works.
Prof Manyonda focused his talk on two areas:
The surgical removal (myomectomy and hysterectomy)
The medical management (drug treatment – ESMYA)
With regards to surgical removal, Prof Manyonda stated that a myomectomy is more complex than a hysterectomy (removal of the womb) and there can be more blood loss. He mentioned that for the same sized fibroid it takes 40 minutes to perform a hysterectomy compared to sometimes 150 minutes for a myomectomy. He also described the benefits of a hysterectomy which are: it provides a definitive cure, there is no possibility of a recurrence of the fibroids and it has one of the best outcomes in terms of quality of life, but it does remove all fertility potential. Prof Manyonda talked about the recovery period saying that a hysterectomy requires a 3-4 night hospital stay and an 8 week recuperation period with a phased return to work.
Prof Manyonda then discussed a myomectomy which is the removal of the fibroids while preserving the womb so there is the possibility of pregnancy in the future. He explained that it requires a 4 night hospital stay and, like a hysterectomy, women will need an 8 week recuperation period with a phased return to work. He also advised that women wait 6 months before attempting pregnancy. He did warn that whilst one of the main benefits of a myomectomy is to preserve fertility it can actually compromise the very same fertility that it is intended to preserve due to the formation of scar tissue, so it needs to be done carefully. Furthermore he explained that with a myomectomy we’re dealing with the fibroids that are there and it doesn’t tackle the cause so new fibroids can develop. He also said that it’s best that all the fibroids are removed and none are left behind to give women the best chance of a good outcome long-term.
He mentioned that many women are only offered a hysterectomy because it is felt they are too old for child-bearing or their fibroids are too large, too many or in the wrong place, but research has shown that women should also be offered a myomectomy and age, size, number nor location of fibroids should be a barrier.
Finally Prof Manyonda touched on the medical management of fibroids with the drug ESMYA. He stated that we need as many weapons as possible to fight fibroids as not everyone is suited for surgery or UAE. ESMYA is a drug that initially was licensed to be used 3 months prior to surgery but now it can be used as a standalone therapy. Research has shown that it can reduce the size of fibroids and improve a number of fibroids-related symptoms. He said whilst it is promising we have to exercise caution as its unclear what the long-term impact of this treatment will be. He said ESMYA is a good option for older women or for those who are not keen on surgery.
This was a really informative event which ended with an open discussion where women were able to ask Prof Manyonda and Dr Das questions and share their personal stories.
We’d like to thank the House of Bread for organising this much-needed conference and we were very pleased to have been given the opportunity to have a stall at this event.
