Ex-beauty queen in breast cancer campaign: Think Pink Malawi
The former 2002 Miss Malawi Blandina Kondowe (Blandina Mlenga) who once experienced the scourge of breast cancer has intensified a sensitization campaign drive to women within and outside Lilongwe city in a bid to provide hope and reduce deaths through mobile screening for early treatment in various health facilities.

“In Malawi, while a small population is certainly aware of and suffer from breast cancer, there is still a large amount of the population that is not aware of the facts, how to prevent and fight the disease,” she noted.
Since 2013, through her grouping, Think Pink Malawi, of eleven passionate individuals on breast cancer, Blandina has been partnering with the ministry of health, UN Women, Press trust, Airtel Malawi, Standard Bank and National Publication Limited (NPL) in sensitization campaign through mobile cancer screening and detection for early treatment.
She further pointed out that proceeds raised from The Think Pink Walk will be used to carry out more public awareness events of all cancers that affect men, women and children as this will save lives.
On Saturday, October 17, Blandina with The Think Pink initiative stormed Chiuzira Primary School ground at Area 44 in the capital Lilongwe whereby women and girls underwent screening for breast cancer and instilled with message of hope on how best the disease could be contained in reducing deaths.
Khondowe then appealed to the public to patronize the Pink Walk adding: “those that may not be available may participate in the campaign by buying a pink cancer ribbon from Cancer Association of Malawi or Cancer Survivor Quest. You may wear it throughout the month if you like.”
She said breast cancer treatment is long, painful and difficult once a woman is diagnosed late.
“Through the initiative, I want fellow women and girls to embrace early test in a bid to contain further spread of the disease in their bodies. I encountered severe treatment after diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2013 which took me almost seven months to get cured and I don’t want the same to happen to others.”
“This is the reason through the campaign especially to per urban areas in the city where access to information on breast cancer through modern communications technologies including Face book, Twitter, You Tube (are difficult to use due to its complexity of operation) women and girls can get directly messages on disease’ approaches”, observed Kondowe who is the senior tourism officer (Standards and Safety) in the Ministry of Information, Tourism and Civic Education.
The former Malawi Queen Brandina said the initiative is expected to flourish to other cities of the country including Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba with the aim to reach many women on early detection of breast cancer.
Dr. Beatrice Mwagomba, Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) Programme Officer in the Ministry of Health said cervical cancer is the commonest killing many women in Malawi compared to breast cancer.
She said currently the ministry of health does not have statistics as to how many women are living with breast cancer though it’s the fourth commonest type of cancer.
Mwagomba said the ministry is grateful to Blandina’s Think Pink Initiative as its reaching less privileged women especially in semi-urban areas through sensitization awareness campaign and mobile screening which needs more support from corporate world .
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People got to know that 30% of women who do arbotion are at risk of having breast…..This is so because when a woman gets pregnant the breast get into a process of making milk ready for the unborn child…..that is arborting sends a disturbing message to the breast hence being at high risk of having breats cancer.
Bravo Brandina ! You have really won my vote. You have really shown that umaganiza osati za atchitsiru aja amakamba za ma sanitary pads kuti akatamukirepo. Tell the mothers the trueth what is the causes of cancer. Izi ndi zaphindu.
This is a very good gesture Brandina. Keep it up. Zimatere,zimatere bwenzi zikoma.
Blandina, I don’t where you getting your funds for this campaign BUT I wish I was a billionaire and supported your cause to reach out to as many Malawians
This is great work and initiative. At the moment, despite the economic turmoil but some deaths occur because of lack of awareness.
Keep up the good work Blandina
malawi needs people like you blandina, may God bless you in your day to day activities. i salute you
Ndikatcheka ma Miss Malawi akhalapo sindikupezapo dzina la Kondowe. Ma journalist akuMalawi story izikhala complete without gaps. Ena ndimawamva akut “..former first lady Patricia Dzimbiri..” nde ndimazifunsa ndiliti tinakhalapo ndi prezident Dzimbiri?
Good news!
Some refreshing news in a depressing country.
That’s the spirit Brandina. Beauty with brains!
We love you!
Kukongola ndi mkati momwe, keep it up Blandina!