– Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi at KMCH-Rotary Gaalaxy’s Awareness Program
Did you know that 1 woman gets diagnosed with breast cancer every 4 minutes in India, and 1 woman dies of breast cancer every 13 minutes? This disease strikes a larger number of women in the country, who are above 40 years of age but not much about this is spoken in the public .
Dr.R.Rupa, Head, KMCH Breast Center says that breast cancer is the most common cancer in India occurring in women, and 50-60% of Indian women suffering breast cancer are at a state of losing their breast because the cancer spreads throughout the organ by the time they come for treatment. She states that inadequate awareness about breast cancer is the major reason for that.
Though breast cancer is not preventable, Dr.Rupa expresses that if women who cross 40 undergo Breast Cancer screening test, they can beat this cancer. She underlines that even full cure is possible for those who arrive at early stages of this cancer, and in most cases women would not be in the state of losing their breasts.
She was rendering this address at Rotary Gaalaxy and KMCH’s joint Breast Cancer Awareness initiatives that were announced on Monday, in connection with World Breast Cancer Awareness month which is observed every October.
At the occasion, KMCH launched its month-long Breast Screening Camp with the use of state of the art 3D mammogram (if needed) at a discounted price of Rs. 1000 till October 30.
Rotary Club of Coimbatore Gaalaxy on the other hand sponsored free Mastectomy brassière (bra) packs to women who had undergone breast removal surgery to combat breast cancer. This was done with the generous support of VNH- Naidu Hall. Around 2000 women would be benefitted by this initiative.
The guests saw this as a noble gesture towards women who needed it much badly. KMCH expressed its gratitude to Rotary and VNH for addressing the unaddressed, ignored emotion of women.
Film Director Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi was the chief guest of this program, and she handed over the brassiere to required women. At the event Venugopal Naidu, Chairman, Naidu Hall shared that the pack will be made available at every Naidu Hall showroom and at dealers’ shops, and the women who need it can get it for free. Also, he shared that women who underwent mastectomy can feel free to ask the staff at the shops to add the cup and attachments to their pre-existing brassieres if they wish. This too shall be made available for free. The same will be made available in other hospitals and women’s innerwear shops in Covai.
Dr.R.Srinidhi Nithyanand, Psychiatrist, KMCH said that women battling breast cancer have to deal with doubts, fear, grief during and after treatment. She underlined that at least 60-70% of women going through this diseases and its management experience stress. She wished them to fortify their mind and spirit, think of what is in their control; which include taking treatment and managing their health on time, and leave out the rest. She recommended women to cope with hope.
Dr.Thavamani D.Palaniswami expressed happiness in collaborating with Rotary and thanked Naidu Hall for their gesture. She pointed that Dr.Nalla G.Palaniswami, the Chairman of KMCH started an exclusive Breast Center at the hospital 8 years ago to provide dedicated services to women. She wished that women in and around Coimbatore get more awareness through activities and initiatives like what they and Rotary have made.
Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi shared that even she had some minor symptoms of this dreaded disease sometime in the past, which was immediately met with alarming reactions from her mother’s side. She stressed the need to normalize talking about cancers.
“We need to create awareness and remove the fear about dealing with cancers. Fear from family members only causes us to delay going for screening. Events like this are platform for all of us to spread the word that early diagnosis can help us fight cancer better. If men in the family have awareness about this, if women have strong will, it will easily bring us towards cure, and with the support of medicine we can overcome it,” she said. “Problem is, we don’t talk about it. We think it is a woman’s problem, while in reality, it is a family’s problem.” she added, and hinted that people should learn to see the bigger picture here.
Naidu Hall’s great service to Breast cancer surgery patients
It was incredible to note that Naidu Hall has been providing free customization to the brassieres of women who had undergone Mastectomy (Breast cancer surgery) since 1960s. The founder of Naidu Hall, M.G.Naidu had deemed it to be such and it is being followed by his son and current Chairman of the company Venugopal Naidu. “We would get referrals from Adyar Cancer Institute; doctors would seek our support and we have been doing that as a free service for decades. We have around 20 stores and 2000+ dealers. These brassiere customizations (adding cup and attachment) are made free and it will remain that way” said Venugopal.