Pink Ribbon Walk elicits good response in hyderabad city

Hyderabad: The slogan 'Does your heart beat for early detection of breast cancer?' resonated with Hyderabadis' who extended unprecedented support to the 12th edition of the 2K Pink Ribbon Walk organised by Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation (UBF) & KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, at KBR Park on Sunday.

The walk was flagged off by S K Joshi, Chief Secretary, Govt of Telangana, Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police, and Noor Sandhu, a 30-year-old brave breast cancer survivor who is currently undergoing treatment. Some 3000 people from all walks of life, Breast cancer 'conquerors' and their families in addition to a huge contingent of students from various schools and colleges in the city, army personnel, diplomats and who's who of the city participated in the campaign.

October is recognised world over as International Breast cancer Awareness month. The aims of the walk are to create awareness about importance of early detection of breast cancer, salute survivors in their fight against breast cancer, and equally, spread the message of hope, courage and survival in the fight against breast cancer.

Speaking on the occasion, Noor Sandhu said that with effective counselling, remarkable surgical skills, outstanding post-operative care given to her by Dr Raghu Ram and his team, and equally, support from her family, she is fighting breast cancer boldly and hopes that this disease would in not too distant a future be only a chapter in her life.

S K Joshi, the Chief Secretary, paid rich compliments to Dr Raghu Ram and the innovative initiatives championed by Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation that has helped transform breast cancer from a 'taboo' issue to a much commonly discussed one thus translating to ensuring early detection and saving many lives in the Telugu States. He urged women over 40 to get themselves an annual Screening Mammogram.

During this festive season, Joshi encouraged the men in the audience to gift a screening mammogram to their spouse/mother/grandmother and added that this gift could potentially save some lives through early detection.

Dr P Raghu Ram, Padma Shri awardee and founder & CEO, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation, Director of KIMS-USHALAKSHMI Centre for Breast Diseases expressed his gratitude to his team for standing "shoulder to shoulder' with him, and equally expressed his happiness that Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation & KIMS Centre completed 12 eventful years serving the community.

He said "some 162, 000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year in India. With 78, 000 deaths per annum, a woman succumbs to breast cancer every ten minutes in India. Due to lack of awareness and absence of an organised pan-India population-based breast cancer screening programme, more than 70% of breast cancers are diagnosed in advanced stages, with most succumbing within a couple of years of diagnosis."

He added: "To win the war on breast cancer, women of all ages must report to their doctor if there are any new changes noticed in the breast. All women must get an annual screening mammogram from the age of 40 and emphasised the importance of early detection in saving lives."