During most part of our childhood, we have experienced our mothers running after us.....
pinktober
During most part of our childhood, we have experienced our mothers running after us, pleading us to take that one last bite. They come up with different ways to make us finish our food or give us medicines, tricking us into opening our mouth. Similarly, a daughter is always taking care of her parents. Scheduling the doctor’s appointments, making sure the necessary blood work is complete and that they take their medicines on time. When she becomes a wife she takes responsibility for the health of her husband as she makes sure he eats well and stays fit.
In a broader perspective, a woman is not just a homemaker but caretaker of the entire household. No matter what role she is playing, her responsibilities as a health counsellor never end. Unfortunately, women in our country have an intrinsic habit of always looking after others but barely remembering what they owe to themselves.
Breast cancer is one of the most common deadliest diseases which women are prone to. Despite this, a number of women are still unaware of the signs, which they ignore, and it leads the cancer to spread. As part of our inbuilt cultural norms, most women avoid taking precautions and necessary tests. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, but due to lack of awareness and acceptance; no one wants to come across it until it actually happens to them.
October is the month of Breast Cancer Awareness and people are constantly reminded of it as they see pink everywhere. Awareness efforts are plastered across buildings with neon pink lights, shelves lined with pink products, public service awareness ads in newspapers, brands endorsing their breast cancer awareness agenda and celebrities promoting awareness drives while wearing pink ribbons, some even articulating a specific person or family member affected by breast cancer for whom they’re dedicating their efforts. There is nothing wrong with the efforts and the campaigns. However, considering the gravity of the issue and the prevalence of the disease among women, the efforts should be depicted all the year round and not be limited to one month.
Alarming revelations
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a report recently which indicated that cancer will kill nearly 10 million people in 2018. As per the report, all over the world the number of new cancer cases is predicted to be 18.1 million with an estimate of 9.6 million deaths - which indeed is alarming. As per the World Health Organization, one in five men and one in six women are likely to develop cancer. More specifically for women, breast cancer causing 15 per cent of cancer deaths which is distressing.
Nearly half of the new cases and deaths through cancer will be accounted for in Asia only. Furthermore, statistics from WHO revealed a death rate of 26.76 per cent from breast cancer in Pakistan. Unfortunately, Pakistan lacks a healthcare agency working on the national level to collect recent statistics and keep track of cancer cases. The disease still remains a leading cause of death with an estimated 16,000 deaths per year in Pakistan. The bigger tragedy is, women of Pakistan are either unaware of it or cannot keep up with the skyrocketing cost of treatment. With that being said, healthcare initiatives such as ‘Access Program’ by a Swiss pharmaceutical company can help in curbing the menace of such non-communicable diseases as a way of providing universal healthcare for all. Although the current debate swirls around affordability and provision of drugs, it is tragic that an initiative like this has not been launched as yet by the health authorities. Thus, it is depriving the non-affording patient’s access to quality medicines.
Risk factors and prevention
The risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman and getting older. Females who come with a family history of breast, pancreatic, melanoma or ovarian cancer have an increased possibility. Family history cannot be changed but necessary health precautions can always help. While creating awareness, it is also important to emphasise that women need to make an effort to know their family history and communicate with their health providers. Moreover, genetic testing and screening plans can help identify heredity risks and reduce surgery complications.
Breast cancer is a public health concern but taking responsibility on a personal level falls in on us. No matter how trivial it may seem, women should be the first ones to know about how their breasts look and feel and report to a doctor if something seems unusual. Starting at the age of 40, women should schedule annual mammogram and keep up with the schedule to stay safe and prepared. Issues pertaining to prevention, early detection and impact should be talked about more often as a way of educating the public and highlighting personal responsibility for health.
- The writer is a communication practitioner and can be reached at kfnaim24@gmail.com
