If your breast cancer treatment will require losing all breasts, accept and survive — Stephanie Benson
Renowned Ghanaian singer and breast cancer awareness advocate Stephanie Benson has urged breast cancer patients undergoing treatment to prioritize their survival.
In an interview on Accra-based Asaase Radio on Monday, October 9, the breast cancer survivor said "If the decision arises and you have to take off your breast to survive, make that decision; don’t lose your life because of vanity."
Benson, 53, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and underwent a total of 28 hours of gruelling surgery for three days to remove her breasts.
Recalling her experience, she said "The surgery itself to remove my breast was a very ridiculously, stressful one."
The singer emphasized that "early checks are the best way to save your life – at least to have a chance of surviving. Make sure you check yourself once a month, please, and make sure you are safe."
The philanthropist noted that maintaining a positive outlook and healthy lifeclass helped her defeat cancer.
"I had to get my body back to working condition. To be honest, if I wasn’t as healthy in exercise as I was, there was no way I would have survived," she stated.
In 2018, Benson was named a brand ambassador by the 3Foundation to raise awareness of breast cancer screening and treatment.