The Football Association, through the GFA Foundation, has declared October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This forms part of the Football for Good initiative, through which the GFA joins the global community in raising, promoting, and amplifying awareness on breast cancer within the football fraternity and beyond.
This awareness campaign exemplifies the core objective of the GFA Foundation, which is to support projects and programmes that enhance the lives and livelihoods of football stakeholders and communities, while also leveraging football and its outcomes to drive
behavioural and social change.
This year’s World Health Organisation (WHO) awareness campaign is themed “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters.”. This year’s theme recognizes the diversity of experiences and reinforces the need for compassionate, timely and quality care for
all—regardless of geography, income or background.
“We will use all our platforms at our disposal — including league competitions, football players, legends, and football clubs and partner with relevant stakeholders to create awareness,” Prosper Harrison-Addo, Esq., General Secretary of the GFA, stated.
Throughout October, the GFA will share information on breast cancer prevention, risk factors, detection, and symptoms, and collaborate with partner organizations to provide free screening for the public, especially members of the football and sports community.
A photo campaign featuring the Breast Cancer selfie frame will also be held during the Black Stars’ final World Cup qualifier against Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium, as well as during domestic league matches.
Globally, breast cancer remains the most common cancer, with approximately 2.3 million new cases recorded annually. It accounts for one in eight cancer cases across both sexes and a quarter of all cancers among women, with 70% of mortality occurring in resource-constrained settings.
Limited health system capacity, low awareness and reduced access to early detection services contribute to late-stage diagnoses and poor outcomes. In many such contexts, breast cancer disproportionately affects younger women, leading to premature mortality and an increase in maternal orphans.
