The Olivier Carol space in Foix en Ariège, hosted a health meeting on Tuesday November 22, 2022. The objective is to raise awareness among as many people as possible about breast, colon and uterine cancer screening.
“Screening, let’s talk about it!”, this is the initiative launched by the Mutualité Française and its partners. A half-day, Tuesday, November 22, to talk, inform, raise awareness around cancers (breast, colon and cervix).
“It’s a half-day where everyone can come and find out, whether you come from Foix or the surrounding area. Young, old, women but also men, our goal is to reach the widest possible audience. “, explains Régine Bru-Sonnet, prevention and health promotion manager for the French mutuality in Ariège.
In the Olivier Carol cultural center, many stands took place. From 1:30 p.m., all the health personnel of the Foix-Varilhes conurbation mobilized that day were available to the public. On the program, a reflexologist, kits for colorectal cancer distributed by a nurse, awareness of self-examination, a CPTS Foix stand or even a stand dedicated to the Icope device, in order to support dependent elderly people.
It was also possible to make a “smear” with a midwife by appointment. The patients, numerous, followed one another all afternoon.
A free day open to all, more than essential in the department, as Ariège has fallen behind on the question of screening. The department is last in the class in Occitania, with for example only 47.2% participation in breast cancer screening against an average of 54.5% at the regional level and more than 2% behind Aude, penultimate .
Talking about illness in artistic form
Following an afternoon rich in encounters, the evening was intended to be convivial and artistic. From 7:15 p.m., the event was opened by a writer, before giving way to Sabrina Chézeau, from the La Farouche company for her “L’Audace du Papillon” health theatre. The actress approaches the ordeal of illness in an artistic and sensitive form. At the end of the show, spectators were able to discuss and ask all the questions they wanted to Dr. Alain Rotter, radiologist, on the interest of participating in screening programs.
“It is important to show that we can do things outside of the month of Pink October. Screening must be talked about all year round, especially since in Ariège, the need is real” , assures Régine Bru-Sonnet. An exhibition led by doctors was held in the corridors of the cultural center.
As a reminder, screening makes it possible to diagnose certain cancers early before the appearance of symptoms and therefore to be able to treat them better and limit the sequelae linked to the treatments used.
An exhibition and a health theater have been added to the program.