Cancer: Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic Advocates for Responsible Screening and Just Care
On World Cancer Day, observed on February 4th, Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic reaffirms its commitment to responsible and human-centered cancer screening.
This commitment aligns perfectly with the 2025-2027 theme of World Cancer Day, "United by the Unique," reflecting the philosophy of Just Care advocated by our doctors daily.
What is Just Care?
The Just Care approach aims to avoid both over-medicalization and under-medicalization, placing the patient at the center of health decisions in a climate of trust and dialogue.
At Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic, this approach is based on a fundamental belief: each patient is unique and deserves care tailored to their situation, rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol. In practice, Just Care translates into reasoned medical decisions based on attentive listening. It means offering what is genuinely useful, neither too much nor too little, considering each patient’s needs.
Screening: A Powerful Weapon Against Cancer
Early screening plays a key role in the fight against cancer. Detecting the disease at an early stage significantly increases the chances of recovery and reduces the need for heavy treatments.
Common Cancers in Mauritius are Treatable if Detected Early
In Mauritius, the cancer burden has been increasing over the last two decades. The number of cases has more than doubled, from 1,394 in 2001 to 2,841 new cases in 2023, according to data from the Mauritius National Cancer Registry. This trend highlights the importance of a strengthened approach to prevention, screening, and appropriate management.
Among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in Mauritius, breast cancer is the leading type among women, with a rate of 65.7 cases per 100,000 women per year, followed by cancers of the colon, rectum, and anus (15.5 cases per 100,000 women). For men, prostate cancer is the most common, with 23.4 cases per 100,000 men per year, also followed by colorectal cancers (18.5 cases per 100,000 people).
These cancers are precisely those for which early screening or detection, when conducted appropriately, can significantly improve prognosis. Detected at an early stage, they are often easier to treat and can, in many cases, reduce the need for heavy treatments, in line with the Just Care approach advocated by Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic.
Screening with Precision
In the screening process itself, this approach is reflected by a clear intention: to support patients in a thoughtful and gradual manner, prioritizing their well-being and safety. The doctors at Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic encourage self-monitoring and the use of first-line, lighter, and less invasive examinations before considering heavier investigations.
For instance, based on the patient’s history and family background, a breast ultrasound may be prescribed initially for breast cancer screening rather than a mammogram. Similarly, for colorectal cancer, screening begins with stool blood tests to determine the need for a colonoscopy.
Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all path when facing cancer, our medical team prioritizes an individualized approach at every stage of screening. Our doctors take the time to listen to patients, understand their history and risk factors, as well as their concerns and feelings.
Aware that screening can be an anxiety-inducing step, the medical team at Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic places particular importance on human support. Patients are surrounded by attentive teams that support them at every step of the care journey.
Informing and engaging in dialogue are essential elements that enable patients to understand medical decisions and consent to them in an informed manner.
The Palliative Care Unit: A Pillar of Just Care
At the heart of the Just Care approach is a unit dedicated to symptom relief, embodying the theme "United by the Unique" within Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic.
This unit is entirely designed around the specific needs of patients, aiming to alleviate symptoms related to the disease or treatments, improve comfort, maintain quality of life, and offer attentive and compassionate listening at every stage of the care journey.
Driven by a multidisciplinary approach, this unit reflects a strong belief: caring involves more than treating a pathology; it primarily means accompanying the person in their entirety. It also demonstrates the clinic's commitment to prioritizing respectful care centered around the patient's quality of life, avoiding any disproportionate therapeutic approach, even when curative medicine reaches its limits.
Questions for Stéphanie Raghoonauth, General Director of Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic
How does the theme "United by the Unique" resonate particularly with the vision of Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic?
This theme truly echoes our vision of care. At Bon Secours Ferrière Clinic, we view each patient as a unique individual, not just a number. Everyone has their own story, needs, values, and ways of coping with illness. Some patients are alone; others are surrounded by family; some make their own decisions, while others prefer to rely on their loved ones.
This approach is even more pronounced in palliative care. Facing this diversity of situations, we collectively mobilize by pooling the expertise of all: caregivers, general practitioners, and specialists. This collaboration allows for comprehensive care that respects each patient’s uniqueness.
Nurses play a key role in gathering valuable information about the patient’s experience, helping doctors tailor treatments effectively.
How does this principle manifest in the daily care of cancer patients?
With us, every patient is considered in their entirety. In the context of screening, this means understanding their history, anxieties, and supporting them at every step. We aim to provide community-based medicine: we know our patients, and they know us. We encourage self-monitoring, and patients are not afraid to reach out when they have concerns.
When they come for consultations, we do not rush to prescribe the most expensive or invasive treatments. We proceed gradually, based on the patient’s possibilities and real needs.
In palliative care, cancer management relies on a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment choices are discussed among various specialists, but the needs and wishes of the patient remain central to everything we do. It is the patient we listen to first and foremost. This is how we operate within the palliative care unit.
How important do you believe quality of life and patient comfort are in cancer care?
Cancer treatments are often very aggressive and can cause numerous side effects: pain, discomfort, nausea, and significant anxiety from the outset of the care journey. We know that mental health plays a crucial role in battling illness.
Our role is also to enhance patients' quality of life. In palliative care, we intervene to improve their comfort throughout treatment and to manage certain complications, such as wounds. We can step in at any time to help preserve, as much as possible, the patient’s quality of life.