Breast cancer awareness: In the 'pink' of health

She is a mother, a daughter, a sister and a wife. The woman of today plays several roles. Needless to say then that she’s a busy woman. So much so that while playing out these parts to perfection, she often forgets herself.
While a session at the spa or retail therapy is all good, she needs to ensure she gets a medical check up done regularly. The month of October is internationally recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness month. And around the world, various initiatives are undertaken to create awareness among women about the importance of its early detection.
Reports suggest that there is a steady rise in the cases of breast cancer with as many as 1 lakh new cases are being detected every year in India. In the last decade breast cancer has overtaken cervical cancer as the most common cancer among women in metro cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi.
The lifetime risk of breast cancer in urban India alone is 1 in 30 and 1 in every 65 in rural India. Devieka Bhojwani, vice president of Women’s Cancer Initiative, Tata Memorial Hospital, informs that they are undertaking several initiatives this October in the hope of spreading the much needed awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
She says, “The main reason why women in India get cancer is because they don’t pay attention to their health. It is completely curable when detected at early stages. You must start check-ups, do a self-examination and know what your breasts should normally feel like. After the age of 50, a mammogram should be done.” She adds that a lot of women aren’t comfortable with the issue and hence a lot of times the problem goes unnoticed. The increasing rate is also largely due to changing lifestyle and dietary patterns in urban India.
Apart from free screenings, campaigns and conferences, the foundation will also hold a live music concert on October 23 in the city. Haseen Zindagi, an exclusive song, written by Javed Akhtar, and composed by Sonu Nigam will be performed by six female artists — Teesha Nigam, Neha Bhasin, Shruti Pathak, Shefali Alvarez, Akriti Kakkar and Shilpa Rao at ‘B Aware— Music Supports Breast Cancer Awareness’. Says singer Shruti Pathak, “I’ve been associated with this cause for last three years. Many women in their busy lives or due to illiteracy ignore their health. This campaign is to make them realise that it’s high time they spent a little time getting in sync with their bodies. Keep a health check at least once in six months. Prevention is better than cure!”

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