Walter Sisulu University (WSU) plastic surgeon, Dr Viwe Nogaga, is running a breast reduction marathon for women suffering from disproportionately large breasts, in a display of community engagement and commitment to improving the lives of local women.
Nogaga, who is based in the Department of Surgery within WSU’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, sees his efforts provide not only physical, but also emotional, relief to hundreds of women in the Eastern Cape.
“I decided to take time outside of my working hours and perform operations on weekends, to help the backlog of about 220 women who are on the waiting list for breast reductions, but cannot not be helped due to lack of space and time to treat them,” said Nogaga.
According to the doctor, large breasts reduce the chances of early detection of breast cancer, as it is almost impossible to detect lumps under the abundant breast tissues.
These women usually experience psychological fatigue due to carrying a disproportionate amount of weight, and might end up being less productive in their professions.
“I noticed a problem with women who have big breasts, carrying as much as eight kilograms of weight in their chests. These women usually run a high risk of infections under the breast, suffer from back pain and are faced with societal stereotypes,” added Nogaga.
Speaking on experiences of some of his patients, Nogaga said that he was extremely concerned by experiences of young girls who go through disturbing experiences of being sexualised by older men, and suffering ridicule from their peers.
The initiative, which started in 2020, gathered much attention when several health practitioners including surgeons, nurses and anaesthesiologists, from in and outside the Eastern Cape, volunteered to see more than 150 women from the Eastern Cape get the help they need.
In 2022 the MEC for the Department of Health, Nomakhosazana Meth, bestowed a service excellence award on Nogaga and his team, for going beyond the call of duty and lending a helping hand to those who cannot access proper healthcare.
“The amount of support I received from my peers when starting this marathon is amazing. This shows the amount of dedication that these practitioners invest in the health and well being of our communities,” concluded Nogaga.
