Blandina Khondowe (12 October 1980 – 21 November 2020), born Blandina Mlenga, was best known for her role as Miss Malawi 2002 and for her breast cancer advocacy. She is the founder of Think Pink – Malawi campaign for breast cancer awareness and the founder of Hope for Cancer Foundation. She was an advocate for breast cancer awareness and spoke about the lack of facilities and access to equitable management.[1][2][3][4][5] She, until her death on 21 November 2020, worked as a civil servant for Malawi's Ministry of Tourism.
Blandina Khondowe | |
|---|---|
| Born | Blandina Mlenga 12 October 1980 |
| Died | 21 November 2020 (aged 40) |
| Occupation(s) | Activist, civil servant |
| Title | Miss Malawi |
| Spouse | Christopher Khondowe |
| Children | 2 |
Background
editKhondowe attended the University of Malawi and had a bachelor's degree in business marketing from Charles Sturt University and an MBA from a University of Wales Institute.[6] She worked as the Principle Tourism Officer for the Ministry of Tourism. She worked in this ministry from 2008 to 2020 and she continued to judge for the Miss Malawi pageant.[6][7]
Her own diagnoses of breast cancer in 2013 and 2017 led her to become a vocal advocate for breast cancer awareness in Malawi. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, she began partnering with local companies and local NGOs to create awareness for breast cancer in the country. She founded the annual national Think Pink Walk with Magdelena Zgamvo in 2014 which promotes early detection of breast cancer.[8] She founded the Hope for Cancer Foundation in 2015. The goal of this organization was to promote preventative approaches to cancer care.[9][10][5][11][7]
She died from cancer on 20 November 2020. She is survived by two children and her husband, Christopher Khondowe.[5]
Publications
edit- "Breast Cancer Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Perspective From Malawi", Journal of Global Oncology, Lily A. Gutnik, Beatrice Matanje-Mwagomba, Vanessa Msosa, Suzgo Mzumara, Blandina Khondowe, Agnes Moses, Racquel E. Kohler, Lisa A. Carey[12]
Awards
edit- Miss Malawi 2002
- Barbara Brenner Breast Cancer Activist Scholarship 2019 [7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Ex-beauty queen in breast cancer campaign: Think Pink Malawi - Malawi Nyasa Times - Malawi breaking news in Malawi". nyasatimes.com. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "freshcancernews.com". www.freshcancernews.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Think pink 2016 cancer awareness campaign successful—Blandina Khondowe - The Maravi Post". maravipost.com. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Southern African celebrities and their breast cancer stories". www.jennyedge.co.za. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Ex Malawi beauty queen Blandina Kondowe dies: Tributes pour in". www.nyasatimes.com.
- ^ a b "Blandina Khondowe - The Nation Online". mwnation.com. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Cancer Advocate Blandina Khondowe Dies | The Nation Online | Malawi Daily Newspaper".
- ^ Kapindu, Harold (2 November 2015). "Malawi: Thinking Breast Cancer Awareness in Pink". Retrieved 8 August 2017 – via AllAfrica.
- ^ She also wrote a column about cancer for the national newspaper, Malawi News.Nyondo, Pius (26 June 2016). "Malawi: Miss Malawi 2016 Auditions Starts in Mzuzu With Glitz - Mijiga, Chihana, Khondowe Form Judging Panel". Retrieved 8 August 2017 – via AllAfrica.
- ^ "Think Pink Malawi: Early cancer detection saves lives – Khondowe - Malawi Nyasa Times - Malawi breaking news in Malawi". nyasatimes.com. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Blandina Khondowe forms Hope for Cancer NGO". www.nyasatimes.com.
- ^ Gutnik, Lily A.; Matanje-Mwagomba, Beatrice; Msosa, Vanessa; Mzumara, Suzgo; Khondowe, Blandina; Moses, Agnes; Kohler, Racquel E.; Carey, Lisa A.; Lee, Clara N.; Gopal, Satish (1 February 2016). "Breast Cancer Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Perspective From Malawi". Journal of Global Oncology. 2 (1): 4–8. doi:10.1200/JGO.2015.000430. PMC 5497737. Retrieved 8 August 2017 – via ascopubs.org (Atypon).