NORI holds breast cancer awareness walk

Islamabad:Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), a flagship hospital of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) arranged a breast cancer awareness activity here on Tuesday.

Wife of chairman PAEC, Begum Fehmin Ali was the chief guest on the occasion. In her address, she appreciated the contribution of 19 Atomic Energy Cancer Hospitals (AECHs) being run by PAEC in diagnosis and treatment of cancer irrespective of the stage of the disease and financial status of the patients as well as spreading awareness about the disease. She paid rich tributes to AECH NORI for leading the noble cause of cancer care and spreading awareness among masses especially women.

She also stressed on the need to further intensify the efforts in this regard. Recalling the proud moment of NORI being declared the Anchor Centre by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) she said, “It was indeed a matter of great pride for PAEC as well as the nation when in September 2023 NORI Cancer Hospital was declared an Anchor Centre of the IAEA for sharing its expertise with other cancer hospitals in the region.”

In her welcome address, Head Oncology Department, NORI, Dr Humera Mehmood gave a detailed presentation titled ‘NORI Turning the Tides’ and highlighted the contribution of the hospital in fighting against the menace of breast cancer in Pakistan. She said, “NORI was among the first five Anchor Centres announced by the IAEA under its Rays of Hope initiative last year which is not only a proof of the commitment of the hospital in prevention and management of cancer but also a recognition on global level of its expertise in imparting research, training and education in the field.”

Dr Humera highlighted various initiatives by NORI for the welfare of cancer patients and their attendants which included Masafir Khana. She also shared that “NORI is the first cancer hospital in the public sector in the capital to start treatment of cancer using a cyber-knife facility and the results are miraculous.” Later, a special video prepared by NORI highlighting the dangers of consuming tobacco titled ‘Smoking, a Silent Legal Assassin’ was displayed with the aim of spreading awareness of the hazards of smoking.

On the occasion, ‘Ask the Expert’ session was held during which the audience asked questions about the causes and preventive techniques related to cancer to which the experts in the field of oncology, surgery, psychology and Radiology and cancer survivors of NORI responded.

A special session on this occasion was organised featuring cancer survivors named ‘Meeting Young Brave Warriors.’ The survivors also shared their ordeal after getting hit by Cancer and also narrated how they successfully defeated it with their will power and cancer treatment by specialists at NORI hospital.

Special tributes were paid to female doctors, scientists, technologists, nurses and other female staff working at NORI in the form of a song titled ‘women of steel.’ Oncology department nurses of AECH NORI enlightened the audience by sharing the dramatisation of ‘Florence Nightingale – The lady with the lamp’ and highlighted the role of nursing professionals in taking care of cancer patients which motivated the audience. The segment was named ‘Lifting Spirits, Touching Lives.’ The event ended with distribution of souvenirs and mementoes followed by a cancer awareness walk.