By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a major epidemiological shift across Guyana’s public health landscape, prostate cancer has officially overtaken breast cancer as the country’s most frequently diagnosed malignancy, prompting non-profit advocacy organizations to sound the alarm on male screening hesitancy.
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Health, prostate, breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers collectively accounted for 66 percent of all cancer diagnoses recorded in 2024. The escalating prevalence of oncology cases has continued into 2026, with 704 new cancer cases reported nationwide this year alone.
In response to the figures, non-profit men’s health advocacy group BROCODE Guyana has intensified national outreach, urging men aged 40 and older to discard cultural stigmas, prioritize preventative check-ups, and access non-invasive Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood testing before life-threatening symptoms emerge.
Overcoming Taboos: BROCODE Champions Accessible PSA Testing
BROCODE Guyana was co-founded by Andrew Douglas and Frank Roman, the latter currently serving as the organization’s President.
Speaking on the origins of the non-profit, Roman explained that upon relocating to Guyana, he observed a critical void in public screening infrastructure and targeted educational campaigns dedicated specifically to male urological health:
- Shattering Stigma: Roman emphasized that male avoidance of cancer screenings is heavily driven by apprehension and cultural embarrassment surrounding digital rectal examinations (DRE).
- The Power of PSA: The organization is focusing on educating men that preliminary screenings can be conducted via a simple, accessible PSA blood draw, which detects early biochemical signs of oncological abnormalities long before physical tumors are palpable.
- Elevated Risk in the Streets: Roman warned that widespread lack of testing has left countless men carrying undetected, severely abnormal antigen markers while appearing completely healthy.
“We started it off because we wanted to give something back to Guyana… Prostate cancer was a good cause, and it was one that needed… concentrated awareness and testing,” Roman stated.
“A score of four and above is abnormal, and there are men walking around Georgetown at the top of the scale. The reason is: A, the stigma, and B, the lack of education and awareness.”
‘Fashion for Hope’: Runway Showcase Combines Advocacy and Survivor Tributes
To bridge cancer advocacy with community mobilization ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, BROCODE has partnered with renowned Guyanese fashion icon Donna Ramsammy-James to host “Fashion for Hope” this Sunday at Scotty’s Smoke House in Georgetown.
The philanthropic runway showcase features both breast and prostate cancer survivors modeling high-fashion collections:
- Event Flow: The runway fashion presentation will run between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., followed by a charity drawing between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- Charity Prizes: Attendees and donors will be eligible to win major ecotourism and hospitality packages, including:
- Two airline tickets to the majestic Kaieteur Falls
- A luxury weekend getaway for two at Adel’s Rainforest Resort on the Pomeroon River
- Complimentary breakfast and dinner for two at the Herdmanston Lodge in Queenstown
“The fashion comes on at 3, and we will be done by 4, and then there will be other prizes between 4 and 5,” Ramsammy-James noted.
Honoring Karega Fordyce: ‘Tomorrow Is Not Promised’
The urgency of the campaign was magnified by personal tragedy within the advocacy team. Roman and Ramsammy-James shared the sudden passing of close collaborator Karega Fordyce—a key founding contributor to BROCODE and a driving coordinator of the fashion initiative—who died suddenly just ten days prior at the age of 54.
Using the loss to underscore the critical fragility of cardiovascular and oncology health, organizers reminded both men and women that routine diagnostic check-ups must become an annual discipline rather than a delayed response to acute illness.
“Karega Fordyce, who was the driving force here until 10 days ago, dropped dead at just age 54,” Roman reflected. “Whilst we celebrate life and the living of survivors, we want to show people that tomorrow is not promised to anyone… Getting yourself checked in so many areas is vital.”
As October approaches, health advocates continue to petition the Ministry of Health to decentralize PSA blood processing to community polyclinics across the hinterland, ensuring early detection is accessible to all Guyanese men.
