Feeding the Future

In Celebration of World Population Day In our many years of experience and as Thought-Leaders in Breast-Care, Bra-Fitting and Mastectomy-Care, we enjoy taking care of women and girls via the foundation garment as an engine for empowerment and social change.

Having designed and developed comprehensive education models, programs and toolkits to assist with discussions and education surrounding breast health and breast care, we have often sought to incorporate audiences of adolescents, young women, boys and men, in order to begin to truly amplify the voice of women and girls’ (reproductive) health and self care, to ensure that we transcend all age groups and gender barriers (Goal #5). Taking into consideration that girls are the emerging women of our world.

Today, on World Population Day, it is a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of healthy breasts as a source of our global food supply and nutrition of the world’s under 3 years of age populations.

Nutrition, food supply and nourishment are critical to ending hunger (Goal #2) as part of the global Sustainable Development Goals agenda.

Breast milk, still remains the primary and natural source of nourishment for the newborn child and plays a key role in the nutrition of our global emerging populations.

During puberty, girls begin to see changes in their bodies and one such is the development of breast tissue.

During mensuration, girls also experience many discomforts with the breasts that are after all closely linked to the reproductive cycle.

Breast ailments account for a great percentage of mortality in populations and in most cases, early detection debates rage as to how early is “too early” and what forms of screening should be available to women and girls based on their age categories and predisposition.

As these debates continue to rage on, we see many new diagnoses and at even earlier ages, in girls, younger women (and men) of diverse demographics (ethnicity, culture, economics) and with no predisposition in many instances.

Parallel to the debates, are the arguments about “what is the appropriate age for screening” including when should a girl begin having discussions about her breast health and access to screening (including self breast examinations) without inciting rage over a very taboo discussion in some geographic areas and cultural settings.

However, whilst this debate continues raging on, there is a very important matter that still remains unsettled. The direct connectivity between healthy breasts and healthy populations, healthy workforces, healthy food supplies, healthy environments and healthy economies. How do they connect and correlate?

If the world wants to own healthy populations, we all have to actively participate in open dialogues surrounding healthy breasts, as a major component in reproductive health discussions. Further, it should be a key component in adolescent health and global maternal health. Our role and missions at Ms. Brafit (www.msbrafit.com), have actively engaged Goal #3 as a part of our work and everyday activities, both in our roles as Breast-Care Specialists and as Advocates.

If the world is to benefit from healthy economies (Goals#1 and #8), we are also collectively expected to speak about the social impact that healthy breasts, early detection and treatment can have on the productivity in the workforce, time off from work, impact on the human resources and most of all, the wage bill and national insurance bills.

In addition to these very significant challenges, it is also critical to understand the number of children orphaned and families that are affected by an instance of breast health as a catalyst to mortality (Goals #10 & #11).

While the world continues to strive for health as one of the Sustainable Development Goals and we all continue to celebrate achievements in medicine and health breakthroughs, today is a good day and a great opportunity to invite you to join our mission of engaging in the discussion of giving dignity to adolescent girls by engaging in a healthy and constructive dialogue and education programming (Goal #4) about good fitting bras, early detection and self examinations. Join in our dialogues and education about collaboration for social change, mollifying the messages of healthy breasts as a source for food security and healthy nations (Goal #17).

Join our missions to Collaborate for Social Change – www.msbrafit.com Ms. Brafit® – Two Cups of Care Program Ms. Brafit® – Comfort Matters Seminar Series Nicole Joseph-Chin is the Founder of Ms. Brafit® – A Social Enterprise