Timely Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer Guarantees Health Life: First Lady Of Pakistan

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Oct, 2020 ) :First Lady of Pakisan, Begum Samina Arif Alvi said that timely diagnosis of breast cancer guaranteed a healthy life so you should spare some time for yourself to self-examination because cancer is curable.

She gave these remarks while addressing a breast Caner Awareness Program organized by Lady Dufferin Hospital Karachi here on Sunday. On the occasion, First Lady also inaugurated the Pink Tree Initiative.

The Pink Tree would be lit up annually, each October to not only raise awareness about breast cancer but to emphasize the importance of preventive measures and receiving checkups to stay healthy and safe.

"Take five minutes for self-examination, if you feel the unusual changes in the breast, consult the doctor as soon as possible because once symptom of cancer was detected, it could be cured easily", First Lady Samina Arif Alvi believed.

She further articulated that the cases of breast cancer were rising because mostly, people especially were not aware. Extensive breast cancer awareness drives were launched which are now yielding results as breast caner was not more considered as taboo.

Lauding the role of media, First Lady uttered that the media had played vital role by spreading the messages regarding breast cancer among masses in the country.

Different organizations especially NGOs and other state intuitions have joined hands in the breast cancer campaign by offering health incentives and facilities specially to the unprivileged women in the country, she added, saying that such initiative had also yielded good results.

She advised repeatedly the women to go for screening so as to identify breast cancer as early as possible and also encouraged women to be holding and inculcate the habit of self-examination.

Expressing serious concerns on the prevalence of breast cancer in the country, First Lady articulated that breast cancer was not being diagnosed in women under the age of 40 or young girls but even men were being diagnosed with breast cancer.

We were lacking more facilities in remote areas of country especially in Baluchistan province, she said, adding that there was shortage of technicians and the government was endeavoring to ensure the provision of all facilitates especially technical staff, screening and radiation in such hospitals or health centers of the country.

She urged influential and philanthropists to extend the all kinds of support to institutions which have radiation and screening facilities as the under-privileged could get benefits from such facilities. Provincial governments should ensure the availability of such facilities at hospitals or health centers, she asked.

We were endeavoring to collect the data on breast cancer cases and deaths it caused in the country and different organization were being engaged for this purpose, she informed, adding that such data would help us to control fatal disease in the country.

First Lady expressed her keen desire that the Lady Dufferin Hospital should keep this Pink Tree illuminated for whole year rather than for one month - October 1 to October 30.