The Hindu : Breast cancer: early detection, only hope

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 08, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Breast cancer: early detection, only hope

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MARCH 7. Doctors worried about the high incidence of breast cancer in women, which has increased from 12 per cent to 24 per cent over the past few years, have organised many events to coincide with International Women's Day on Monday to increase awareness about the early detection of cancer.

The Bangalore Institute of Oncology, located off Double Road, will inaugurate its Breast Cancer Foundation on that day, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Abraham John. The institute will also display its newly acquired "Linear accelerator" to make radiation therapy more effective.

The foundation will work towards making breast cancer screening and gynaecological tests affordable to women and also provide information over the recently launched "Cancer Helpline." Lectures by physicians, surgeons, and gynaecologists will be arranged regularly. In addition, the foundation will provide counselling to patients undergoing treatment and surgery for breast cancer and rehabilitation support, including breast prostheses and physiotherapy. Members of a "long-term survivors' group" will share their experiences with others.

This year's theme for International Women's Day is "Working in Solidarity: Women, Human Rights, and Peace." At 4 p.m. on Monday, there will be a session of talks by eminent women. Kamini Rao of the Bangalore Assisted Conception Centre will speak on "Women, human rights, and female foeticide," while Kalpana Kar of the Cancer Patients' Aid Association will speak on "Role of voluntary organisations in building solidarity, women's rights, and peace." Anjana, advocate, will speak on "Female foeticide and violation of human rights."

Women's clinic

Friends of Curie, a support group programme for cancer patients at the Curie Centre of Oncology here, will start a "Well Women's Clinic" on Monday to create awareness about cancer and its prevention among women.

Brinda Sitaram, Psycho-oncologist at the Curie Centre of Oncology, told presspersons here on Saturday that the centre aimed at addressing the psychological, social, and emotional concerns of cancer patients and their families. As part of its activities, Friends of Curie had been started with people who had been touched by cancer at some point in their lives. They counselled and offered support to new cancer patients to instil hope in them, she said.

The clinic would be run at the Curie Centre of Oncology on the St. John's Medical College and Hospital premises on every Thursday between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Women coming to the clinic for the first four Thursdays (from March 8) could avail of free consultation.

The clinic had tied up with Elbit Diagnostics for a 30 per cent discount on medical investigations for the visitors for six months, she said.

Dr. Sitaram said Rani Satish, Minister of State for Kannada and Culture, would inaugurate the clinic at ING Vysya Auditorium on M.G. Road on Monday. Street plays would be held in various parts of Bangalore to spread awareness about cancer.

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