Awareness holds key in combating breast cancer

Hyderabad: In an attempt to give a wake-up call against the growing number of breast cancer cases, NGOs such as We Care You Foundation and Shresta Foundation teamed up and conducted a breast cancer awareness programme for women in the city.

As part of the awareness campaign, both the NGOs have picked up Habib Fatima Nagar of the Borabanda area in the city as an ideal location to spread the word about the critical aspects of the medical complications that primarily affect women.

The programme was supervised by a panel of medical professionals that included Chief Medical Officer Government Ayurvedic Hospital Erragadda Dr Ramana Mohan, Chief Medical Officer Dr Neeranjani, and Medical Officers Dr Manjula and Dr Aruna.

The medical experts come up with their presentations on a range of vital topics, including early signs and symptoms of breast cancer, the stigma surrounding the affected individuals, self-examination techniques, and dietary precautions that help prevent the disease.

Participants were encouraged to engage actively in discussions, raise frequent questions, and share their personal experiences to understand more about the disorder. Many participants expressed willingness to follow the advice placed by the doctors as a proactive approach to medical complications and the management to address the issue. The event was overwhelmed by the presence of notable community figures, including local leader Mr Shareef, Coordinator at Government Ayurvedic Hospital Vijaya Sri, besides Asha workers and Anganwadi teachers who play a crucial role in community health initiatives. Rebka Rani, the president of the We Care You Foundation, emphasised the importance of community-driven awareness programmes to address health-related complications, especially among women folk, and stated, “Knowledge is power, and it could help empower the women to take charge of their health maintenance and make way for others to emulate.”

Eprhim Kankanala, the founder and CEO of the Shresta Foundation, too addressed the gathering and shed light over the commitment of both organisations to continue their efforts in breast cancer awareness and education.

“The ‘We Care You Foundation’ and ‘Shresta Foundation’ are dedicated to continue working on raising awareness, providing resources, and creating supportive networks for women in the community,” he said. Dedicated volunteers from the Shresta Foundation assisted in the event, ensuring a welcoming and supportive environment for all participants.