A photo exhibition giving a powerful insight into the experience of women with breast cancer in Malawi will be on display in the Dún Laoghaire LexIcon from Friday, 2 February to 15 March (Level 4).

Akazi Exhibition – Breast Cancer in Malawi showcases the photography of Antonio Jaén Osuna from the Institute of Global Surgery at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Antonio has documented the lived realities of women battling with breast cancer in rural Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, where fewer than one in ten breast cancer patients survive beyond 18 months. 

The work has been undertaken as part of the Akazi project* (led by Dr. Jakub Gajewski), which has been generously funded by the Irish Research Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The researchers are collaborating with the Malawian Ministry of Health, local NGOs and other stakeholders to improve care delivery for the many women affected by this deadly disease.  

This one-of-a-kind exhibition shares the team’s experiences from the last two years of field work in Malawi and aims to raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer, a disease that cuts across cultures, social realities and countries. 

Hope and inspiration

Antonio Jaén Osuna said: “Akazi has brought hope to communities and has inspired frontline health workers to search for solutions to a problem that shouldn't cause as much pain and isolation as breast cancer does in Malawi. This exhibition aims to highlight the importance of the project, but also, through the images, we want to trigger a conversation about the reality of people who need to fight breast cancer.

“We are most grateful to the Dún Laoghaire LexIcon for hosting the exhibition”. 

Based in RCSI’s School of Population Health, the RCSI Institute of Global Surgery is an international leader in the field of global surgery, working for health equity for all who are affected by surgical conditions or have a need for surgical care. The Institute’s pioneering models have proven highly effective in retaining expertise within the region – crucial for the longevity and ongoing growth of the programme.  

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is a world-leading university for Good Health and Well-being. Ranked number one in the world for its contribution to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023, it is exclusively focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide. 
 
*The Akazi project is a collaboration between RCSI, the Agency for Scientific Research and Training (ASRT) and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences.